Govt submitting ATR on migrants, refugees, terror victims’ issues to MHA within days

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 19: State Government is going to submit Action Taken Report (ATR) and comments on the issues confronting the Kashmiri migrants, West Pakistan refugees, Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) refugees and terrorism affected people of Jammu region to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs within next few days. The report will be examined by the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by BJP Member Parliament, Venkaiah Naidu, which has been seriously debating the issues of J&K migrants in order to make comprehensive recommendations to the Union Government for ameliorating their lot.
Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that in its 137th meeting held on July 30, the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs had asked the J&K Government to submit in writing the reasons for delay in settlement of issues of Kashmiri migrants, West Pakistan refugees, PoK refugees and terrorism affected people of Jammu region.
Thereafter, the Ministry of Home Affairs through a proper communiqué asked the J&K Government to furnish the Action Taken Report on the questionnaire prepared by the Parliamentary Standing Committee latest by August 13, 2013 so that the information could be sent to Rajya Sabha Secretariat on August 19, 2013, sources said. However, J&K Government could not stick to the timeframe set by the MHA because of varied reasons. Now, the ATR and comments will be furnished to MHA within next some days, they said.
“In response to the query of Parliamentary Standing Committee vis-à-vis return of the Kashmiri migrants to the Valley, the Government is going to convey that unless there is consensus in the community as well as their representative bodies nothing specific could be said in this regard. However, the Government is committed to the return of Kashmiri migrants to their native places in Valley”, informed sources said.
About filling up of 3000 posts for which the expenditure is to be made by the State Government, sources said, “the State Government will convey to the Parliamentary Standing Committee that this process got delayed due to some court cases and presently the Government is on it”, adding “as far as query regarding condition of migrants living outside the camps, the State Government has set in motion the process to make allotment of remaining 600 flats at Jagti township. The applications have already been invited and are presently being screened by the concerned department”.
“As far as issues of persons migrated from PoJK in 1947-48 are concerned, the State Government is of the opinion that majority of their issues have already been settled excepting one-time settlement for which a detailed memorandum has already been submitted to the Prime Minister and is presently being debated between PMO, MHA and State Government”, sources said.
They disclosed that around 10 lakh kanal of land has already been distributed to the persons migrated from PoJK and process of giving Rs 1.50 lakh per family as land deficiency compensation was on for the left over families.
“Regarding the West Pakistan Refugees, the Parliamentary Standing Committee is going to be conveyed that this section of refugees could not be provided justice because Article 370 doesn’t permit the same. However, their case is under active consideration of the Government and final decision will have to be taken in the legislature”, sources said.
“On the queries of the Parliamentary Standing Committee regarding terrorism affected persons in Jammu, the State Government is going to convey that a package of Rs 91.56 crore for their rehabilitation on the pattern of Kashmiri migrants has already been submitted to the Government of India for consideration and approval but no decision has been taken till date. However, till then the financial and other assistance being provided to them will continue”, sources said.

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