Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Sept 30: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has stressed on convening of the high level meeting of Centre and State Government to settle the issue of West Pak refugees once for all.
The Committee, which met here, today under the Chairmanship of BJP leader and former president of the Party, M Venkaiah Naidu stressed that the problem of West Pak refugees piling up from last 67 years must be settled once for all.
According to highly placed sources, the members of the Standing Committee while expressing concern over the problems faced by these hapless people said that they have been deprived of citizenship rights and it was high time for both State and Central Governments to sit together and settle the issue once for all.
Sources said 13 MPs attended the meeting. The prominent among them included former Deputy Prime Minister and BJP Parliamentary Board Chairman, L K Advani, BJP spokesperson, Rajiv Partap Rudy and Congress MP, Parveen Jindal. The official team of Union Home Ministry was represented by Union Home Secretary, Anil Goswami and Additional Secretary Home, K Skandan .
The State Government in the meeting was represented by Revenue Secretary, Vinod Kaul, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu and Relief and Rehabilitation Commis-sioner, R K Pandita, sources added.
Sources said that the meeting was a follow up of recent action taken meeting of the officials of Union Home Ministry, J&K Government and representatives of West Pak, PoK refugees, Kashmiri migrants and militancy affected people from the State which was held in New Delhi on September, 19.
Sources said the Parliamentary Standing Committee decided to constitute a Sub Committee whose members might visit both the regions of the State, in ending October or early November and have the stock of the situation themselves also and then submit the report to Standing Committee.
Sources said that Standing Committee also discussed the issues pertaining to PoK refugees and discussed the action taken report with Government representatives in this regard. The Standing Committee members also stressed on settlement of their problems too, sources added.
Sources said the Standing Committee members also stressed on speedy implementation of rehabilitation package of Kashmiri migrants as well as Prime Minister’s employment package. Maintaining that return is an important issue, the Committee sought a reply from the Government that what headway has been made in this regard so far, sources added.
Sources said that the Government representatives informed the members of the Committee that the package will be revised again for construction of clusters at district headquarters as there was no provision in earlier revised package for acquisition of land.
It also sought a reply on much talked about Kashmir Hindu Shrines and Temples Bill from the State Government representatives who informed the Committee that the Bill is with Select Committee which held three to four meetings and also called the stake holders recently to seek their opinion, sources added.
Sources said the Committee was also informed by the State Government representatives that some temples and shrines being run by private trusts are opposed to formation of the Board while the Kashmiri Pandits seek that all the Hindu shrine and temples of Valley be brought under the purview of the Bill.
The officials from State informed the Committee members that Government is trying to resolve the issue amicably, sources added.
Sources said the Committee also sought a report from Government officials on host of other issue including the enhancement of cash relief for Kashmir migrants. The Committee stressed on hiking the cash assistance in view of rising price index.
The Committee stressed on construction of more quarters for accommodation of employees for accommodation of displaced employees, sources said.
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