Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 3: Displaced Persons (DPs) of 1947 from PoJK in a meeting held at Dayala Chak, in Tehsil Hiran Nagar, under the banner of Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC), made an appeal to Manoj Sinha, Lt Governor to take cognizance of the issue and impress upon the MHA to extend the one time settlement scheme of Rs 5.5 lakhs upto March ending 2025 as the same has been closed by Govt on Feb 22, 2022.
Gurdev Singh, president along with Bhushan Sharma, KC Prashar and Dr Paramjeet Kumar expressed their serious concern regarding the closure of the scheme and term it as arbitrary, illogical. He said it has been closed without ascertaining the factual position and without seeking the feedback from the concerned sub-ordinate office of UT Govt of J&K. The sudden and untimely closure of the scheme has deprived thousands of Jammu based bonafide families of 1947, 65 & 71 of the benefits of the relief scheme.
Gurdev Singh said that the order issued by the Deptt of MHA of India is absolutely contrary to the couple of earlier statements made by Amit Shah, Home Minister wherein he assured time and again that benefits of ex-gratia scheme of Rs 5.5 lakhs would be provided to all the bonafide DP families settled in Jammu and even including those who are settled in other parts of country. He said that order relating to closure of the scheme is arbitrary in totality which has been issued without keeping in view the policies of the Union Govt regarding the DPs. The closure of the scheme has created chaos and resentment among the remaining thousands of DP families who are approaching JKSAC to stress upon the govt. to restore the scheme provided by Narendra Modi after a period of seven decades.
He said that mandatory records listed by the govt. for getting the relief is not traceable in PRO office in respect of approx 5,000 DP families. It has been either missing or torn or totally in dilapidated conditions, absolutely not legible. On asking by the precipitants about the second instalment of Rs 11 lakhs, Gurdev Singh clarified that there is nothing like that and added that these are the rumours which are being spread by disgruntled elements to lure the DPs for their monetary benefits.