New Delhi: Following the formation of a democratic government in Jammu and Kashmir, expectations are high that Kashmiri pandits who had left their homes in the 1990s due to an upsurge in terrorism, will return home.
According to a senior official in the home ministry, the centre and the state government already had a few rounds of discussion on the issue. In fact, ever since Article 370 was abrogated, the centre had already taken several initiatives for the return of the Kashmir pandits.
National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah last month said that the time has come for the Kashmiri Pandits and all those who left the region to “return to their homes”.
The Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee the Valley in the 90s due to an upsurge of terrorism in the region. Several of them settled in various parts of the country, leaving behind their belongings and properties in Jammu and Kashmir.
Recently, the local administration and union home ministry have prepared a list of 4,600 families of Kashmiri pandits and Hindus to ensure their return to J&K. The process, however, will be implemented in three to four phases.
According to government data, there are 47,129 Kashmiri migrant families registered with relief organizations in Jammu and Kashmir at present.
The government has decided to intensify the process of cash assistance, providing free ration, inclusion of souls in a migrant family, bifurcation, protection of property of Kashmiri migrants, issuance of registration certificates to the unregistered Kashmiri migrants and educational facilities among others.
“There is a provision of bifurcation of a large family registered under pension category to relief category like a dependent married member registered under pension category being unemployed, can be bifurcated and can avail relief benefits. Bifurcation of existing families is also made as per the guidelines,” the official said.
To feel them (Kashmiri Pandits/Hindu migrants) secured, according to the officials, several steps have been taken for the security of such migrants including robust security and intelligence grid, group security in the form of static guards, round-the-clock nakas at the strategic points, night patrolling and area domination, identification of vulnerable spots, security arrangement through appropriate deployment and intensified cordon and search operations.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who had recently met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi has also been asked to take proactive steps to implement several initiatives meant for the Kashmir migrants.
Some of the measures adopted by the government for the benefit of Kashmiri migrants include cash assistance of Rs 3,250 per person to eligible Kashmiri migrants subject to a maximum limit of Rs 13,000 per family per month.
Eligible Kashmiri migrants are also provided 9 kg of rice per person, 2 kg atta per person and 1 kg of sugar per family per month as a basic dry ration.
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