Jammu and Kashmir parties oppose colonies for Pandits
Members of Roots In Kashmir a Kashmiri Pandit Group campaigning for restoration of human rights and dignity in Kashnmir during a protest. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: Taking forward the Union government’s initiative to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday wrote to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeking allocation of “suitable” land for creating dwelling units for these families.
In his letter to Mr Abdullah, the Union home minster suggested that “land may be identified near the native places Kashmiri migrants.”
The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has already spelt out its commitment to the resettlement and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit families in the Valley with “full dignity” and has earmarked Rs 500 crore for this in the 2014-15 Union Budget.
It may be recalled that the funds sanctioned had witnessed a three-fold jump, from Rs 151.87 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 660 crore in the first Union Budget presented by the BJP government, which said
Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for Kashmiri migrants.
The remaining Rs 160 crore is meant for granting relief to border migrants, reimbursement to state for ex-gratia to next of kin of civilians, SPOs and Jammu and Kashmir policemen killed in terror attacks and cross-border firing, etc.
Mr Singh also advised that the allocation of land should be done in such a manner as to ensure adequate security in and around the area.
The Union home minister, in his letter, said that the Centre is ‘committed to facilitate the return of the Kashmiri migrants to the Valley and their proper rehabilitation.”
There are at present about 62,000 registered Kashmiri families who migrated from the Kashmir Valley to either Jammu, Delhi, or other parts of the country after the onset of militancy in the border state in the 1990s.
Mr Singh’s letter comes ahead of the state Assembly elections, likely to be held in November-December this year. The saffron party’s Jammu and Kashmir has already declared its intention to seek a majority
in the 87-member legislature. Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, and the even separatist groups, have favoured the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley but have strongly opposed the creation of separate colonies for them.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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