Centre to grant land ownership rights to West Pakistan Refugees in J&K

The Centre government is all set to grant land ownership rights to West Pakistan refugees (WPR) over lands allotted to them prior to abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar: After the abrogation of Article 370, the Centre has initiated an exercise to grant ownership rights to the West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) over land measuring 46,666 Kanals that were allotted to them prior to the repeal of Article 370.

These lands were allotted to the WPRs in 1954 after they migrated to the Indian side of the International Border. After coming to power in the Centre, the BJP government had given Rs 5.5 lakh per family as compensation to the refugees of West Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK).

Following the scrapping of Article 370, West Pakistan Refugees, POJK refugees, Gorkhas, and Valmikis were declared as domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir. The lands on which the ownership rights will be granted to these refugees exist in Akhnoor, RS Pura, and Bishnah in Jammu district, in parts of Samba district and Hiranagar district, sources said.