New Delhi: Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena has approved an increase in the Adhoc Monthly Relief to Kashmiri migrants in the national capital from Rs 10,000 to Rs 27,000 per month, Raj Niwas officials said on Wednesday. The Adhoc Monthly Relief (AMR) was last increased in 2007 when the amount was doubled from Rs 5,000 per family fixed in 1995, they added.
"This enhancement of 170 per cent (almost 2.7 times) in the AMR comes after a long gap of 16 years, when the AMR amount was doubled from Rs 5,000 per month to Rs 10,000 per month in 2007. In 1995, the Delhi government had fixed the AMR amount at Rs 5000 per month," an official said. AMR is provided to Kashmiri migrants under the Security Related Expenditure (Relief & Rehabilitation)", introduced by the central government in 1989-90 to support those who had to migrate from the Kashmir Valley due to militancy.
In Delhi, AMR is provided to migrant families registered by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi from 1990-93. At present, approximately 2,000 families in the national capital are being paid AMR at a rate of Rs 3,250 per person per month, subject to a maximum of four people per family. This amount is shared by the Delhi government, whih pays Rs 1,000, and the Centre, which pays Rs 2,250. The monthly expenditure incurred on AMR is approximately Rs 2.5 crore.
However, the number of beneficiaries for the AMR is expected to increase by nearly 70 per cent because of a rise in the number of family members since the list of beneficiaries was last updated. Officials said there will be mandatory Aadhaar seeding of data for family members eligible for AMR. The payment of relief will only be through Aadhaar Payment Bridge System.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said the increase in AMR for Kashmiri migrants is a proof of the Lt Governor's sensitivity. "This raise coming after 16 years is a proof of the Lt. Governor's sensitivity towards the basic needs of Kashmiri migrants many of whom are still financially struggling to make both ends meet," he said.
