Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 25: Piquant situation has emerged as 268 individuals, who had earlier ex-filtrated to Pakistan/PoK and illegally returned along with their families via Nepal, have been putting up in State during the past some years despite words of caution from the Parliamentary Panel.
Interestingly, the State Government doesn’t have any clear stand as to what would be the legal status of these individuals putting up in Jammu and Kashmir along with their wives and children.
In a written reply to the question of Prof Chaman Lal Gupta in the Legislative Assembly, Home Minister said that 268 youth who had earlier ex-filtrated to PoK/Pak have returned along with their families via Nepal, which is not an approved route under the policy notified by the State Government in November, 2010.
According to the data furnished by the Home Minister, 268 individuals along with 146 wives and 455 children have returned since 2011 till date. The maximum number of such individuals and their family members returned in 2012 followed by in 2013.
About the legal status of ladies and their children, the Government has simply said, “cases under relevant provisions of law have been registered against these individuals”.
Under the Rehabilitation Policy of 2004, 427 cases have been received from January 31, 2004 to January 31, 2014 besides 10 cases were received under the earlier policy, the Home Minister said, adding out of these 437 cases, incentive of Rs 2.95 crore in the shape of monetary help and stipend has been granted in 210 cases while as 219 cases have been rejected and eight cases are under process.
“As no prospective returnee has returned through the routes identified under the policy of 2010, no benefit could be extended to any such person”, the Minister said.
In response to another question, the Home Minister informed the House that 381 Burmese families comprising 1621 people are presently residing in Jammu district. Out of these families, 351 families comprising 1476 members are in possession of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cards and the remaining 30 families comprising 145 members are without such cards.
In addition, as on January 31, 2014, 195 foreigners are residing in Jammu province on different grounds.
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