Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 2: The Centre is understood to have decided to shortly increase relief of Kashmiri migrants to Rs 10,000 per family per month from present Rs 6600, a hefty increase of Rs 3400 per month. The Centre would pay additional amount to the State Government under Security Related Expenditure (SRE).
Official sources told the Excelsior that the State Government has taken up with the Union Home Ministry the enhancement of cash relief for the Kashmiri migrants, a proposal first mooted in June 2012 but it remained pending with UPA-II. The State Government has now taken up the proposal with the MHA and sought early nod to it.
The Government has proposed that the relief of Kashmiri migrant families should be enhanced from present Rs 6600 per month per family to Rs 10,000 per month per family.
“The proposal forwarded by the State Government on June 25, 2012 vide No. REV/MR/ 78/2003 kept pending with UPA-II headed by Dr Manmohan Singh but was not approved reportedly due to high financial implications,” sources said but added that the new Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, in principle, agreed to the proposal for enhancement of the relief of the migrants.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) headed by Rajnath Singh was working on the proposal and a decision to this effect could be announced shortly, sources said.
Sources said the Government of India was working out financial implications of the proposal and enhancement in the SRE of Jammu and Kashmir due to increase in cash relief for the Kashmir migrants.
“Once the exercise is completed, the increase in the relief will be announced,” they added.
During just ended financial year of 2014-15, the Government incurred Rs 127.28 crores for providing cash assistance to the Kashmiri migrants apart from providing them free ration and building infrastructure for them. In the financial year of 2015-16, the amount is expected to go up significantly with increase in the cash relief, which was expected to be announced by the Central Government shortly.
During campaigning for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the BJP had assured increase in relief for the Kashmiri migrants and meeting their other demands including `rehabilitation package’ on return to the Kashmir Valley.
The State Government had recently announced filling up of 3000 posts for unemployed youths of the Kashmiri migrants. The posts would be filled up by the recruitment agencies including the Services Selection Board (SSB).
According to sources, the relief for the Kashmiri migrants hadn’t been enhanced for the past quite some time now. There had been demand from various Kashmiri migrant organizations for immediate increase in the cash relief and other facilities to them. The organization had also met representatives of the Central Government seeking immediate increase in the enhancement of relief.
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