Jammu: Over 4,000 Kashmiri migrant families
wish to return to the valley, Jammu and Kashmir government
said on Sunday.
"As many as 4,440 applications have been received from
the Kashmiri migrant families which wish to return to the
valley under the policy of return and rehabilitation of
Kashmiri migrants," a Relief and Rehabilitation department official
said.
Out of these applications, 1,682 families are still in
possession of immovable assets and these applications have
been referred for verification, officials said.
The maximum 1,237 applications have been received from
Srinagar followed by 1,140 from Anantnag, 462 from Baramulla,
431 from Budgam, 359 from Pulawama, 283 from Kulgam, 240 from
Kupawara, 150 from Shopian and 98 from Ganderbal.
No application has been received from Bandipore.
"So far, no migrant family has returned to the valley.
However, creation of posts for the unemployed Kashmiri migrant
youth is expected to be completed by May 2010 after which
their return to the valley will commence.
"As such the real picture will emerge after May 2010. As
many as 3000 migrant youths will be given jobs under special
employment package and interviews have already been
conducted," the official said.
The Centre had sanctioned a Rs 1,618 crore package for
return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.
As many as 38,119 kashmiri families are registered as
migrants with Relief Organisation at Jammu, they said, adding
of these, 34,202 families are Hindus, 2,168 Muslims and 1749
Sikhs.
Total 19,338 Kashmiri migrants are living in Delhi, 11 in
Himachal Pradesh, 924 in Haryana, 114 in Chandigarh, 319 in
Punjab, 57 in Uttarakhand, 222 in Uttar Pradesh, 43 in Madhya
Pradesh, one in Tamil Nadu, 38 in Karnataka, 208 in Maharastra
and 48 Rajasthan.
PTI
