Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 3: JKPCC working president and former minister Raman Bhalla, former MLC Ravinder Sharma along with refugee Congress leaders Pawan Raina, Sahil Sharma and Amrit Bali vice chairman Refugee Cell have strongly criticised the Central Government for closing the ongoing relief package for PoJK, Chhamb DPs and termed it clear betrayal and back-tracking of the promises with them by the Modi Government and BJP.
Addressing a press conference at PCC office here today Raman Bhalla along with other senior leaders reacted sharply to the recent notice of the Government closing the relief package from February 10 onwards, and termed it great betrayal with the suffering communities who were exploited by the ruling party by making hollow promises especially full implementation of the 2014 relief package recommended by then state coalition Government on the initiative of Congress party and Dr Manmohan Singh Government.
Bhalla said that BJP and Modi Govt befooled the PoJK refugees and sanctioned only the meagre amount of Rs 5.5 lakhs per family against Rs 30 lakhs per family as recommended by the State Government. They questioned the closing of the ongoing package when all eligible families could not be even covered with the installment of Rs 5.5 lakhs per family, which was described as first installment but with the closing of the package, it is clear that there is nothing more for them, which is clear betrayal with them.
He said after long struggle of refugees of PoJK, Chhamb and hot perusal by the Congress, a package was worked out on the direction of Dr Manmohan Singh Government in 2014 and recommended to the Centre by State Government. It comprised of Rs 25 lakh per family as financial package besides jobs, reservation package and coverage of all left out DP families under land allotment and land deficiency categories, which was enhanced to Rs 30 lakhs per family by the JPC.
The said package was not only endorsed by the All Party Joint Parliamentary Committee but also enhanced the relief amount to Rs 30 lakh per family, however, the Modi Government and BJP failed to sanction the package. Only a meager amount of Rs 5.5 lakhs was sanctioned but that too has not been disbursed to all eligible families because of various hardships in the procedure.
Demanding sanction of full package of 2014 for them, without further delay, they announced that that Congress shall fully support the struggle of the refugees of PoJK, and Chhamb for their due rights especially to get full benefits of the entire package endorsed by the parliamentary committee.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
