Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 6: Maintaining that Ministry of HRD sponsored scholarships for the students of J&K studying in professional colleges outside the State are for all and there is no discrimination in the same on individual basis, the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, K Skandan today said that he will take up the issue with State Government that why the Kashmiri Pandit students were deprived of its benefits.
Mr Skandan who is accompanying the Parliamentary Sub Committee (PSC) delegation led by BJP MP, Rajiv Partap Rudy which is on three days tour of the State to assess the problems of Kashmiri migrants, West Pak refugees, terrorist victims of Jammu region and PoK refugees was responding to a question posed by the Displaced Kashmiri Pandits at TRT Buta Nagar here in this regard.
The issue was raised by camp representative P L Raina and Ravinder Kaul who said that the Pandit students have been deprived of the scholarship benefits which were meant for the students of entire State. Besides the migrants suffering from fatal diseases like renal failure, heart ailments and cancer are not getting proper benefits under the Government’s much talked about Medical reimbursement scheme, they alleged.
Taking a serious exception to the same, Mr Rudy said that Medical relief package for migrants has some shortcomings and the Sub Committee has taken the cognizance of it.
He asked Mr Skandan to explain the Union Government’s position on the scholarships and Medical same. Later Mr Skandan said that scheme is meant for all students of the State. Likewise the Centre sponsored National Development training facilities are for all youth of the State and there should be no discrimination in it too, he added.
He said the medical scheme has also guidelines. He urged the State Government representatives led by Revenue Secretary, Vinod Kaul accompanying the team that the migrant families who have no insurance source and lack facilities to afford the charges of treatment, the Government should pay them the amount for their treatment on the basis of doctors report and recommendations.
He urged the State Government to submit the report to Union Government and it will approve the same and pay the amount.
However Mr Kaul informed the Committee that the GoI scholarships for students of the State under going training in professional colleges outside the State are for all and the students can apply online for the same. He has to apply the concerned agency but some colleges were not brought under the purview of the scheme earlier and now they have been approved, he added.
Regarding the Corps fund he said, an amount of Rs five crore was earmarked for the same but it is less seeing the magnitude of the ailments and the Government had initiated a Medical Insurance Scheme to overcome the problem but it did not materialize earlier due to certain reasons and now the Relief Organization has again initiated the process, he added.
Mr Rudy, while responding to the memorandum and other issues raised by migrants at TRT Buta Nagar said that entire India is with them as they have suffered and struggled a lot during the turmoil. Expressing the hope of early return of the community to Valley, he said that the issues raised by migrants will be presented by Parliamentary Standing Committee before the Parliament with its recommendations in a forceful manner to relieve the displaced community of pain and agony.
On employment package Mr Rudy said that the recruitment process for the 3000 posts under Centre sponsorship is on and 1500 youth have been recruited under it so far. For remaining 3000 posts falling under State sponsorship, the State Government has sought Central assistance and it has submitted a report to Union Government in this regard also, he added.
The memorandum while highlighting various problems of the displaced Pandits expressed concern over delaying of implementation of PM’s package, demanded transfer policy for the migrant employees appointed in Valley by adjusting couples in the same district, construction of more TRTs for migrants putting up in rented accommodations to solve the housing problem of the community, release of remaining ex-gratia of gutted houses, damaged orchards and other property in Valley and payment of compensation to those houses which were damaged or caved in due to vagaries of weather during the turmoil period.
It also demanded passage of Shrines and Temples Bill, enhancement of cash relief, construction of more quarters for migrant employees in Valley, grant of IDP and minority status to displaced KPs.
The memorandum further demanded that no decision be taken on return and rehabilitation issue without taking the community into confidence and discussed with it threadbare.
Ravinder Kaul a migrant representative while expressing his doubts about the return and rehabilitation of the displaced community in the Valley said how the Government was making claims about the same when State Chief Minister and some of his Cabinet Colleagues are themselves raising fingers on accession and terming it incomplete. He said under such circumstances what guarantee the Pandits have in Valley after their return.
He demanded compensation to the tune of Rs 25 lakh for overaged youth and enhancement of cash relief. Veer Ji read the welcome address while Veneet Hangloo also highlighted the problems of displaced youth.
Besides Mr Rudy the other members of the Sub Committee included Ravneet Singh, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, E T Mohammad Basheer, Neeraj Shekhar, Raman Deka, Santiuse Kujur and Sanjay Dina Pail all MPs. They were accompanied by a team of Union Ministry officials including Director Rajya Sabha Vimal Kumar.
The State Government officers accompanying the team included Revenue Secretary, Vinod Kaul, Divisional Commissioner, Shantmanu, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, R K Pandita, Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Goel and other civil and police officers.
The camp representatives Ashok Kumar, Hari Krishan and Bitto Ji were also present.
The team later visited TRT Muthi also and interacted with the camp inmates there. Earlier the team had visited TRT Purkhoo to assess the problems of migrants there.
BJP Migrant Cell president, Bharat Bushan Gosani also met the team and apprised it of the problems of displaced people.
Later the Sub Committee visited Jagti township where it interacted with the inmates and listened to their problems.
A memorandum was submitted to the Committee by Kashmiri migrant relief holders led by Ajay Bhat.
It demanded enhancement of relief to Rs 150 per soul per day, return package be enhanced to Rs 50 lakh, settlement of migrants outside J&K State, compensation for left over property, relief for encroached property, the left out property of Pandits be brought under Custodian General.
Another memorandum was submitted by JTC led by Shadi Lal Pandita highlighting various demands of displaced people, their pain and agony.
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