JAMMU: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today asked for inclusion of non migrant Kashmiri Pandits in the welfare endeavor of the Government. She also directed provision of all basic facilities of healthcare and education at the transit accommodation centres in the Kashmir Valley where members of the community are presently putting up.
Chairing a high level meeting of Rehabilitation, Relief & Disaster Management Departments here today, the Chief Minister said the members of the Pandit community who did not leave their homes in the Kashmir Valley also need attention as many of them are living in very poor conditions. She said members of all migrant communities like Muslims, Sikhs etc should be given space in any transit accommodation facilities being built there, thus respecting the pluralistic ethos of the place.
Minister for Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction and Disaster Management, Syed Basharat Bukhari and Minister of State for Revenue, Ajay Nanda were also present in the meeting.
The Chief Minister enquired about the supply of ration to Pandit families, particularly at Jagti and stressed on making the distribution process simple and hassle free. She also suggested opening of some Fair Price Shops in the migrant camps and Pandit habitations to ease out the problems of the inhabitants.
The meeting was informed that a 40 bedded hospital has been readied at Jagti Township which is being operationalised soon.
The meeting was also informed about other measures being taken by the Government for the welfare of Pandit migrant community. It includes health insurance cover to the migrant community, providing cash assistance through bank accounts to put check on pilferage, restoration of RBA status in case of persons who come from such areas and shuffling of overstaying staff at camps to provide a much more transparent relief system to the beneficiaries.
The meeting was also informed that the documentation process for relief distribution among the beneficiaries of PoK Displaced Persons has been simplified and now only three documents are needed instead of 11 as prescribed earlier. It was also informed that camps would be held at various tehsils and locations to reach out to the genuine beneficiaries and settle down their cases.
It may be mentioned here that the State Government has started disbursement of relief package in respect of Displaced Persons from PoK and so far 96 such families have been paid the cash relief with Rs. 5.50 lakh per family.
Several deputations during last few months had met the Chief Minister and requested that the documentation process for identifying the beneficiaries be simplified and camps be held at their locations and tehsils for their convenience.
Financial Commissioner, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction and Disaster Management, B. B. Vyas; Commissioner-Secretary, Revenue, Muhammad Ashraf Mir; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal besides Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba and Kathua and officers from Relief Organization were present in the meeting.
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