Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Jan 29: The Centre has enhanced the cash relief for migrants from Rs 1250 per soul to Rs 1650 per soul with retrospective effect from July last year. An order to this effect was issued by Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on Monday.
As per the Government order the cash relief of Rs 400 has been increased per soul per month and a migrant who was earlier getting Rs 1250 as cash relief will be now entitled to Rs 1650 per month, subject to a ceiling of Rs 6600 per family per month of four or more members.
The migrants will be entitled to arrears of six months from July to December last year. The Union Government has sent the copies of order to chief secretaries of Delhi and J&K.
Earlier State Government had submitted a proposal to Union Government in middle of last year recommending the enhancement of cash relief as demanded by the migrants in view of the price rise.
Soon after the mass migration a migrant family in 1990 was given cash assistance of Rs 500 per month which was enhanced from time to time. From 2003 the cash relief was enhanced after a gap of every three years. The cash relief was hiked in 2006 from Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 and in 2009 it was enhanced from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 per family of four members.
While the relief holders and various migrant organizations were demanding enhancement of cash assistance to Rs 12,000 per month per family, the State Government on the pursuance of relief organization in its communiqué to Central Government in June last year had recommended enhancement of cash relief to Rs 10,000 per family per month. Former Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Raman Bhalla personally pleaded the case before the Central Government in this regard at a number of times.
But the Union Government after examining the case has enhanced the relief to Rs 400 per member per month.
It may be recalled that Kashmiri migrants were on dharna for over last nine months in front of relief organization and Jagti township demanding enhancement of cash relief in view of sky rocketing prices of essential commodities.
Even the relief holders took to streets at a number of times in protest against the delay in decision from Government in this regard.
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