Scheme for payment of relief to PoJK refugees extended by MHA

7 schemes with Rs 1452 cr outlay to continue
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 2: The Central Government today approved till 2025-26 the continuation of an umbrella scheme under which funds will be provided for the relief and rehabilitation of displaced families of Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) in Jammu and Kashmir.
A total of seven existing sub-schemes under Umbrella Scheme `Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates’ were today extended by the Union Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26
The Scheme has total outlay of Rs 1,452 crore, an official handout released this evening said.
The Modi Government had announced payment of Rs 5.5 lakh per family to the PoJK refugees, who were mostly settled in Jammu after 1947 partition. They had long pending demand for payment of compensation but the successive Governments only formulated plans but paid nothing to them.
The Narendra Modi Government had ordered payment of Rs 5.5 lakh compensation per family to the PoJK refugees.
While a large number of families have already availed the benefits, there was uproar recently following an announcement about closure of the scheme.
The official statement said today’s approval of the Scheme by the Union Home Ministry will ensure assistance under Umbrella Scheme continues to reach beneficiaries through Ministry of Home Affairs led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah
The scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 1,452 crore for the extended period, enables migrants and repatriates, who have suffered on account of displacement, to earn a reasonable income and facilitates their inclusion in mainstream economic activities.
“The Modi Government has approved the proposal for the continuation of the seven existing sub-schemes under the umbrella scheme ‘Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates’ for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs 1,452 crore,” the statement said.
The Government, at different points in time, had started different schemes.
These seven schemes provide assistance for relief and rehabilitation of displaced families of PoK and Chhamb, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, Bru refugees lodged in relief camps in Tripura and enhanced relief to 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims.
Financial assistance and other facilities will also be given to the families of affected civilian victims of terrorist violence including militancy, insurgency, communal, left-wing extremism violence and cross border firing and victims of mine, IED blasts on Indian territory and grants-in-aid to Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC),
The Government is also providing grants-in-aid to the Government of West Bengal for infrastructure development in 51 erstwhile Bangladeshi enclaves in India, situated in Cooch Behar district and for resettlement of 922 returnees from erstwhile Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, the statement said.