No proposal for settlement of 9823 WP refugees in JK: Govt
‘Over 54000 families of PaK, WP refugees residing in the state’
‘36384 families identified for one-time settlement involving expenditure of Rs 9096 Cr’
There is no proposal under consideration to grant citizenship rights to 9823 families of West Pakistan refugees, the state government said Tuesday.
This was disclosed by Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, Basharat Bukhari in a written reply to a question by Independent member Engineer Abdul Rashid in Legislative Assembly.
Even as BJP has demanded settlement of West Pakistan refugees in Jammu and Kashmir with full citizenship rights, Bukhari stated that displaced persons from Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) were entitled for all legal rights including Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) as these were permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
Regarding West Pak refugees, the minister said they were not permanent residents of the State and no proposal was under consideration for their permanent settlement.
It was informed that a total of 54945 West Pakistan refugees and displaced persons have been putting up in Jammu and Kashmir.
It was further revealed that 9823 families of West Pakistan refugees have migrated to Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, 31619 families of displaced persons migrated in 1947, 4061 families migrated in 1965 and in 1971, 9442 families migrated to this side of the region.
Rasheed had sought details about total number of families of West Pakistan refugees and PaK refugees who have migrated to Jammu and Kashmir from 1948 to 1971 and are residing in different parts of the State.
The government informed that it intended to provide facilities to refugees/displaced persons except West Pakistan refugees and has submitted a comprehensive package to Government of India for their permanent settlement in Jammu and Kashmir.
The package includes payment of Rs 25 lakh to each family as a one-time settlement for which a total amount of Rs 9096 crore is involved, Bukhari said, adding, the amount is proposed as compensation against the leftover movable and immovable properties. The number of such families which would qualify for such amount is 36384.
“The amount is proposed as compensation against the left over moveable or immovable properties,” he informed.
Bukhari said the government is considering reservation in professional colleges outside Jammu and Kashmir and reservation of jobs in paramilitary forces, Army and other central government offices for the wards of these displaced persons and inclusion of left out displaced persons families for assistance.
