As the Centre Government has become active on addressing the issues of all refugees in Jammu including West Pakistan, PoK and Chhamb etc, the State Government has also decided to forward draft package worth Rs 7000 crores to the Centre for approval, reliable sources said.
Surprisingly, the package was approved by the State Cabinet in November, 2013 but for the last over six months, the Government even failed to forward it to the Centre for approval.
However, with crushing defeat in Lok Sabha elections in which refugees voted en block against NC-Congress coalition candidates, the Government has decided to put the ball in the court of the Centre by forwarding the package for approval, sources said.
The State Government’s package, which is being forwarded to the Centre, proposed payment of Rs 25 lakh per family as one time settlement in favour of 5764 families of West Pakistan Refugees Similarly, it has proposed Rs 20 lakh for each family of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Chhamb refugees of 1965 and 1971 wars, who have been settled in urban areas.
As far as PoK and Chhamb refugees settled in rural areas are concerned, the Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Department has proposed Rs 15 lakh compensation as one time settlement.
“The department had also suggested to make necessary amendments in the J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1971, which will facilitate the Government to confer ownership and tenancy rights to the Chhamb refugees, who have been allotted land on the same pattern as has been conferred to PoK 1947 refugees. However, this dispensation was to be applicable to only those families who are permanent residents of J&K State”, sources added.
The package also proposed reservation in professional colleges outside J&K State for the children of refugees of PoK, 1947, Chhamb and West Pakistan. The proposal had recommended that Government of India should be approached for providing reservation of jobs in paramilitary forces and army for the children of such refugee families.
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