GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA QUESTION NO 346 ANSWERED ON 26.11.2014 Rehabilitation of migrated Kashmiri Pandits 346 Shri Majeed Memon Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :- (a) whether Government is considering to make some suitable arrangements for rehabilitation of migrated Kashmiri Pandits near to their native place from where they migrated due to militancy; (b) whether in that connection, Government has written to the Government of J&K stressing the need for en bloc allocation of land in safe locations in order to create colonies; (c) whether Government of J&K has taken any initiative(s) for creating dwelling units for these families under the Government plan for implementation of the rehabilitation scheme for migrants; and (d) whether Central Government is going to make some finance available to J&K Government under the scheme for the purpose? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU) (a): At present there are about 62000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country. About 40,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families are residing in Jammu; about 19,338 registered Kashmir migrant families are in Delhi and about 1995 families are settled in other states. The Government of India is providing various rehabilitation facilities to the Kashmiri migrants and has announced various Packages for them from time to time. The Government of India is facilitating cash relief of Rs.6600/- per family per month along with free monthly ration to about 18,250 Kashmiri migrant families residing in Jammu. The Government of NCT of Delhi is also providing cash relief of Rs.6600/- per family per month to about 3,385 eligible Kashmiri migrant families residing in Delhi. Other States are providing relief as per scales fixed by them from their own budget. ….2/ -2- R.S.US.Q.NO.346 FOR 26.11.2014 The Government announced a Comprehensive Package amounting to Rs.1618.40 Crore in the year 2008 for the Return and Rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Migrants. The Package provides for financial assistance for purchase/Construction/repair of houses in the Valley, construction of transit accommodations, scholarship to the students, employment (Government/self employment), assistance for agriculture and horticulture and waiver of interest on unpaid loans etc. State government jobs have been provided to 1466 migrant youths and 469 Transit accommodations have been constructed in the Kashmir Valley under this Package. The review of such plans and packages is a continuous process and will continue to remain so in order to remove the bottlenecks and shortcomings, if any. (b): Yes, the Government has written to the State Government of J&K to identify suitable land in the vicinity of Srinagar and cities/towns in the Kashmir Valley, near the native places of the Kashmiri migrants, where they can be suitably rehabilitated. (c): Under Prime Minister’s Package 2004, 5242 two room tenements have been constructed in Jammu at four locations [Purkhoo, Muthi, Nagrota and Jagti] and have been allotted to the migrants, who were living in various one room tenements, Government Buildings, Temples etc. in Jammu. Further, 200 flats have been constructed at Sheikhpora in Budgam district (Kashmir Valley). Out of these, 31 flats have also been allotted to the local migrants (who migrated from their native places to other places within the Kashmir Valley) and remaining to those migrants (on sharing basis) who have joined the government service under the employment component of Prime Minister’s Package-2008. Also, 469 Transit accommodations have been constructed in the Kashmir Valley under Prime Minister’s Package-2008 and allotted to the newly appointed migrant employees. The State Government of J&K has sent a proposal for revision in the existing PM’s Package-2008 seeking enhancement of financial assistance for various components e.g. construction/reconstruction of houses, state government jobs to the migrant youths, self employment, financial assistance for acquiring land for establishing cluster accommodations etc. The proposal is presently under examination in the MHA. The new Package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants is being finalized in consultation with the State Government and the representatives of the migrants. (d): The Government is committed to facilitate the return of the Kashmiri migrants to the Kashmir Valley and their proper rehabilitation there. The Government has already earmarked Rs.500 Crore for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants in the Union Budget of 2014-15. ******
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 07:44:08 +0000