Jammu: With more than 4,000 displaced
families of Kashmiri Pandits wishing to return to their homes,
Jammu and Kashmir government today began the process to
facilitate the return of the community to the Valley.
"The families (of displaced Kashmiri Pandits) are advised
to furnish their plan of return to the valley so that
necessary arrangements can be made for their return," Relief
and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, said in a
notification issued here.
Incentives under the Prime Minister`s package for
Kashmiri migrants would be made available to them, the notice
said.
As many as 4,440 applications have been received from
Kashmiri migrant families, who wish to return to the valley
under the policy of Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri
Migrants to Kashmir Valley, officials of the Relief and
Rehabilitation Department said.
Of the 4,440 applications received, 1,682 families are
still in possession of immovable assets and these applications
have been referred for verification.
The families who had sold their immovable properties and
have applied to return to the valley are advised to furnish
details about the arrangements made by them for permanent
settlement in the valley so that assistance available under
the package can be provided to them, the Relief Commissioner
said.
The largest number of applications - 1,237 - have been
received from Srinagar district followed by 1,140 applications
from Anantnag district, 462 from Baramulla, 431 from Budgam,
359 from Pulawama, 283 from Kulgam, 240 from Kupawara, 150
from Shopian and 98 from Ganderbal.
However, no application for the return of Kashmiri
migrants have been received from Bandipore district.
As many as 3,000 migrant youth would be given jobs
under the special employment package in this direction and
interviews have been conducted for finalisation of the list.
Central Government has sanctioned a package of Rs 1,618
crore for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants
to the Valley.
As many as 38,119 families of Kashmiris are registered
as migrants with the Relief Organisation in Jammu. Of these,
34,202 families are Hindus, 2,168 Muslims and 1,749 Sikhs.
According to statistics available, about 19,338 Kashmiri
migrants live in Delhi.
11 Kashmiri migrant families live in Himachal Pradesh,
924 in Haryana, 114 in Chandigarh, 319 in Punjab, 57 in
Uttaranchal, 222 in UP, 43 in MP, one in Tamil Nadu, 38 in
Karnataka, 208 in Maharashtra and 48 Rajasthan.
PTI
