As the deadline for the PM’s Development Package for Pakistan-occupied J&K refugees nears its March 31, 2025 closure, the demand for its extension has gained urgency. BJP MLA from RS Pura-Jammu South has raised a crucial issue-thousands of PoJK refugee families remain excluded due to documentation challenges and procedural delays. The PMDP, announced in 2015, sanctioned a relief package of Rs. 5.5 lakh per family for 36,384 displaced families, including 26,319 PoJK families displaced in 1947 and 10,065 families displaced during the 1965 and 1971 wars from Chhamb. According to official data, out of 21,084 applications received from PoJK 1947 refugees, 20,523 cases have been approved, while 561 remain pending or rejected due to deficient documentation or legal disputes. Additionally, nearly 4,000 PoJK refugee families have been entirely excluded due to the non-availability of mandatory records.
The Government has taken commendable steps to facilitate the inclusion of PoJK refugees by organising over 577 outreach camps, generating awareness through print media, and easing documentation requirements. However, despite these efforts, many deserving families still face bureaucratic hurdles that prevent them from accessing relief. BJP MLA rightly pointed out that while the Government relaxed documentation norms for 1965 and 1971 refugees, similar relief was delayed for PoJK refugees of 1947. Even after winning a legal battle in a division bench in 2023, the actual policy relaxation only materialised in March 2025-just weeks before the scheme’s scheduled closure. The timing of this decision raises serious concerns. If the scheme is not extended beyond March 31, 2025, the intended relief will fail to reach many PoJK refugees who now qualify under the revised documentation norms. This is not just a procedural issue but a matter of historical justice. These displaced families have endured generations of hardship, and denying them their rightful claims due to bureaucratic delays would be both unjust and unethical. The Government must recognise the humanitarian and moral obligation to extend the PMDP deadline. Justice delayed should not become justice denied. The extension of this scheme is not just necessary-it is imperative.
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