*State to devise format for willingness
Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, July 2: In a major decision, the State Government has agreed for establishment of small clusters for the Kashmiri migrants, who on their return to the Kashmir Valley would not like to stay at isolated places and rather have some secured environment.
The proposal formed part of the roadmap proposed for revised implementation of package for the return of Kashmiri migrants, which had been sought by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley from Jammu and Kashmir Government before holding talks with representatives of the migrants on their return to the Valley.
The State Cabinet that met today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated the implementation of package for Kashmiri migrants and asked the Revenue Department to work out modalities for implementation of the package and send it to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, for further action, official sources told the Excelsior.
They said the State Government has requested the Government of India to convey approval to the revised proposal/roadmap for return of the migrants to the Valley. Immediately after receiving consent for the revised proposal, the Government will give vide publicity to the proposal and asked the migrants to apply in the shape of Expression of Interest as per the devised format for ascertaining their willingness for returning to the Valley.
The format will contain all details of the migrants including as to whether they are still in possession of immovable property or not, number of family members, their willingness to settle in the Valley and place where they would like to settle, sources said, adding that first preference will be given to such migrants, who would opt to return and settle at their own places wherefrom they had migrated.
Sources said the migrants, who are at present without any immovable property but intend to return to the Valley can be given option to form Group Housing Societies. “The Group would identify land themselves and the financial assistance in this behalf will be provided out of the amount proposed for land acquisition with some ceiling to the Group Housing Society for construction of house. The Society members will be authorized to take up the construction for which the amount earmarked under the package shall be disbursed in their favour in installments keeping in view the physical progress on ground,” they added.
“The migrants, who would not like to stay at isolated places on their return to the Kashmir Valley and have some secured environment, small clusters shall be established for them. The State Government after receiving authorization from the Government of India shall start identification of land for such clusters and, in this regard, migrants can be asked to furnish their views so that places are selected keeping in view number of the families opting to return,” the Government roadmap for return of the migrants proposed.
It said the number of clusters will not be large and in one single cluster not more than 200 families shall be accommodated. The cluster will be established at such places, where there will be negligible dislocation of local population.
The roadmap, however, clarified that the cluster should not look like a separate village or town but like small habitation within the area of village with free movement and not look like an isolated place. It said no separate infrastructure/facilities shall be created in the proposed clusters and the people, who would shift to such habitation, will have access to facilities/infrastructure provided to other inhabitants of the area.
In another significant decision, the revised roadmap approved by the Cabinet today, proposed that additional 3000 Government jobs for the migrants will be exclusively reserved for the families, who return to the Valley for permanent settlement and their wards shall be provided one job per family. As regard earlier 3000 posts, which are being filled up, the process of filling the remaining posts will continue as per the existing policy.
“As far as transit accommodation is concerned, the State Government will not take up more constructions as it has been observed that once an individual or a family occupied it, they are reluctant to vacate them defeating its basic objective. Therefore, the State Government proposed to construct few more units of transit accommodation at isolated places. However, in order to facilitate migrants to stay in the Valley till their make their own arrangement, they will be given the option of either staying in hired accommodation for a brief period of one year for which due rent will be paid by the Government as available under the package,” the roadmap proposed.
It proposed that the migrant youth, who want to establish income generating units on their return to the Valley will be provided assistance according to the package through the bank. It said the banks will be asked to work out hassle free scheme. The grant available under the scheme will be transferred to the bank, who will keep it in the shape of FDR till the loan is liquidate. The Banks will be asked to frame a scheme.
“As far as revival of industrial units is concerned, the number of which is not very large, incentives available under the package i.e. waiving of interest will continue. However, further incentives will be provided to them in shape of term loan for revival of the units for which bankers can be asked to work out a scheme and the State Government shall be coordinator for additional term loan,” the revised roadmap said, adding the scholarship to the school going children and continuation of relief will be applicable as per the existing scheme.
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