J&K domicile offer gets lukewarm response from Kashmiri migrants

With few takers to the domicile certificate announced by Jammu and Kashmir administration, the deadline has now been extended to May 15, 2022.

Srinagar: With few takers to the domicile certificate announced by Jammu and Kashmir administration, the deadline has now been extended. The Office of the Commissioner for Relief and Rehabilitation had set up 50 camps expecting flocks of migrants turning up for certificates. As per official sources, there were few takers only for the certificate among Kashmiri pandits living in Delhi.

"Migrants are not showing much interest in the administration's offer. They just had to register themselves with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) after which they will be given domicile certificates of Jammu and Kashmir. However, only a few families have approached for the same," a senior officer in the J&K administration said.

"Because of this, we had to extend the deadline for those interested in domicile certificates. The new deadline has now been set for May 15, 2022. No further request will not be accepted after the expiry of the period," added the officer.

J&K administration had last year offered to issue domicile certificates to all former residents of Kashmir who had migrated from the region during the 1980s.

"The Office of the Commissioner for Relief and Rehabilitation had also announced to hold camps in other states of the country and at least 50 camps have been set up so far. A similar camp has been set up in Delhi but not many people came forward," the officer said.

"Kashmiri pandits migrated from the valley during the 1980s with the onset of militancy. About 25,000 unregistered Kashmir pandits are living in Delhi and so far only 3,000 have come to the camp for certificates. Among them 806 have been registered at the same time while the documents of rest are being verified," he said.

The officer also added, "We hoped at these camps, people will come forward and will be interested in getting a job in Jammu and Kashmir. However, nothing significant has happened yet."