Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 7: PDP-BJP Coalition Government has yet not started any exercise to clear the observations made by the Union Government on one time full and final settlement of the claims of PoK displaced persons.
This can be gauged from the reply to the question of BJP MLA Sham Lal Choudhary in the Legislative Assembly. The MLA had sought information about the status of the proposal for one time settlement scheme for the PoK refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971.
The Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation said, “the State Government is contemplating to take steps to clear the observations of the Government of India. Accordingly, the revised proposal would be placed before the State Cabinet for approval before re-submitting the same to the Union Government that too as per the assurance in the CMP”.
It is pertinent to mention here that State Government had submitted a comprehensive proposal to Union Government for one time full and final settlement of the claims of PoK Displaced Persons and Chhamb Displaced Persons.
The package includes payment of Rs 25 lakh to each family as a one-time settlement for which a total amount of Rs 9,096 crore is involved. In the package, the amount is proposed as a compensation against the leftover movable and immovable properties.
However, the Government of India vide communication dated November 7, 2014 returned the proposal with the advise to the State Government to send a comprehensive and consolidated proposal. The Government of India through this communication even made it clear that it would not be able to consider any package unless it includes the West Pakistani refugees as well.
But, the State Government has yet not taken any decision on the West Pakistan refugees and Minister simply said, “West Pakistani refugees are not the permanent residents of the State and presently no such proposal is under consideration to provide them permanent citizenship rights”.
A total of 54,945 refugee families of PoK and West Pakistan, who have migrated to J&K between 1947 and 1971, are residing in various parts of Jammu province since then. A total of 31,619 families of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) migrated in 1947, 4,061 in 1965 and 9,442 in 1971 besides 9,823 West Pakistani refugees migrated to this side during the period.
The Minister also stated that no proposal was under examination in the Home Department for providing five marlas of land at safer places to each of the families residing near the Indo-Pak border.
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