Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 19: With both State and Central Governments maintaining a stoic silence over the issue, there is no headway in enhancement of overdue cash relief to Kashmiri migrants as all promises made by the authorities in this regard till date proved totally hollow.
This has generated a lot of resentment among all the Kashmiri migrants in general and relief holders in particular who have been forced to lead an exiled life for over last 22 years by trigger-happy militants.
Despite the protest demonstrations held by relief holders for over one year now who are also on symbolic dharna in front of Relief Commissioner’s Office for over last six months demanding the enhancement of cash relief in view of sky rocketing prices of essential commodities the Government is adopting dilly dallying tactics to divert their attention from the issue.
Justifying the demand of enhancement of cash relief, the relief holders said that they are in dire straits due to skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and having no sources of income except the meager cash relief doled out by the Government.
Not only the sky rocketing prices of essential commodities has been a cause of concern for relief holders but enhancement of tuition fee by the private schools as well as rent by the house owners has added to their woes, said Ravinder Raina one of the relief holders who is spearheading the dharna in front of Relief Commissioner’s Office for over 170 days now.
He said in past the Government has always enhanced the relief after every three to four years but this time it is maintaining a stoic silence over the issue which has belied their hopes.
As per the official data, in the past, relief was enhanced after a gap of every three years except in 2006 when it was increased after a gap of four years. The official data revealed that last time the cash relief was enhanced in July 2009 from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 per month per family and since then there has been manifold increase in prices.
The data showed that soon after the mass migration in 1989-90 the Government provided Rs 500 cash assistance per family of a Kashmiri migrant per month to April 1990, which was increased to Rs 1000 per family in May 1990. The same was increased to Rs 1800 per family per month in June 1996. Later, it was again enhanced to Rs 2400 per family in April 1999. In June 2002 again a hike was made in cash relief to Rs 3000 per month, which was hiked to Rs 4000 per month in July 2006. The last time the hike in cash relief was made in July 2009.
Terming it a meager amount which can not suffice the needs of the displaced people the migrant organizations are demanding hike in relief to Rs 10,000 per family per month at present.
In this regard, a proposal was also approved by the State Cabinet in its meting on June 20 this year and later the approved proposal was submitted by it to the Union Home Ministry along with return and rehabilitation package for grant of funds for the same.
The Union Home Ministry in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Home Secretary at New Delhi on August 7 this year had also discussed the revised return and rehabilitation package along with enhancement of cash relief. The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Revenue Commissioner cum Secretary, B A Runyal and Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, R K Pandita.
The said proposal which according to official sources since then is under process with Government of India however has not seen light of the day raising many apprehensions among the displaced people in general and relief holders in particular.
As the members raised lot of hue and cry in the Apex Advisory Committee at Srinagar on September 18, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured them that State Government will pursue the matter with GoI as the present relief given to migrant families is insufficient in view of sky rocketing prices. But still no headway has been made in this regard till date forcing the migrants to come to streets and intensify the agitation.
However when contacted, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Raman Bhalla, who has taken personal initiative in formulation of rehabilitation package for migrants said that the State Government is fully aware of the problem and the memo submitted by it to Centre is lying with Planning Ministry for its approval and we are hopeful of getting the same soon.
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