* Seeks detailed information from J&K Govt
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 30: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is on the path of extending financial package for rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees after six decades of their migration to the country and the State Government has been asked to furnish the required information to the Ministry as early as possible. The Ministry has also sought proposals from the State Government for additional assistance required for rehabilitation of Displaced Persons of 1971 and 1965.
As per the minutes of the meeting chaired by Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Additional Secretary (Foreigners), Union Ministry of Home Affairs at Union Capital recently, the MHA was apprised by the State Government that report of Wadhawa Committee mentions that many West Pakistan refugees after their migration to J&K had occupied Government/ evacuee land.
Subsequently, the State Government allowed them to retain up to 8 acres of irrigated land or 12 acres of un-irrigated land subject to certain conditions. Moreover, from the old annual reports of the then Ministry of Rehabilitation it has been observed that a number of houses/tenements had been constructed in J&K for the rehabilitation of the refugees.
Seeking varied information from the State Government in order to examine feasibility of extending rehabilitation assistance to the refugees after six decades of their migration to the country, the Additional Secretary MHA asked the State Government officers to keep in view the land/ properties left behind by the refugees in Pakistan on their migration to India as per old record before forwarding recommendations to MHA regarding financial package for rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees.
The MHA has sought information relating to total number of West Pakistan refugee families settled in Jammu and Kashmir and whether these refugees were allowed to retain land in proportion to the land left behind by them in West Pakistan.
It has also sought to know the number of refugee families which were allotted/ allowed to retain irrigated/ un-irrigated land, the number of West Pakistani refugees settled in J&K, who received assistance from the then Ministry of Rehabilitation by way of allotment for the construction of houses and the details of all other assistance/ allotment of land and plots if any obtained by these refugees from the Central and State Governments.
“This information is pre-requisite for the Ministry to consider financial package for rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees”, the MHA has stated in the minutes of meeting, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
About the extension of credit facilities to West Pakistan refugees without collateral security, it was decided in the meeting that concerned Deputy Commissioners would discuss the issue at the meeting of District Level Coordination Committee where the banks would be advised to consider extension of such credit facilities to the refugees.
“The MHA would advise Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises to impress upon the Money Lending Institutions operating in the State to extend credit facilities to West Pakistan refugees under the Credit Guarantee Scheme as under the scheme they are eligible for credit facilities without collateral security”, it was decided in the meeting. The State Government has also been asked to inform MHA about the number of families to whom benefits under Centrally Sponsored Scheme including Indira Awas Yojna have been extended in the last three years.
About the conferment of Permanent Resident Status, the MHA stated that this issue might require amendment in J&K Constitution. However, to enable the West Pakistan refugees to contest in State elections, to purchase property in the State and for recruitment to State services and posts, the MHA asked the State Government to consider amending relevant existing legislations notified by the State Government in view of the judgement dated February 20, 1987 of the Supreme Court in the case of Bachan Lal Kalhotra Versus State of J&K and Others.
It was suggested that State Government may streamline the procedure for issuance of Domicile Certificates to West Pakistan Refugees and if necessary devise a proper format for such certificates so that the West Pakistan refugees could claim age relaxation for recruitment to Central Government services/ posts.
Similarly, the procedure for issuance of SC/ST/OBC certificates could be streamlined by the State Government so that such caste certificates are issued expeditiously to eligible West Pakistani refugees, the minutes of meeting said, adding State Government may consider issuance of appropriate executive direction/ orders so that children of West Pakistan refugees could get admission to technical/ professional educational institutions in the State. Moreover, the State Government may examine the feasibility of allocating certain percentage of seats in the institutions for admission of children/ grand children of these refugees”.
The Ministry has also asked the State Government to furnish information regarding the additional claims of Displaced Persons of 1947 for compensation in lieu of land deficiency received in the year 2004 and additional 640 applications of urban DPs for allotment of plots received after cut off date, the document said.
Observing that out of total assistance of Rs 55.17 crore extended by MHA for rehabilitation of DPs of 1947 from PoK the State Government has utilized only an assistance of Rs 29.48 crore, the MHA has asked the State Government to expedite utilization of balance assistance of Rs 25.74 crore during the 2012-13 financial year.
It has also sought to know additional assistance, if any, required for rehabilitation of Displaced Persons of 1971 (camp), the document said, adding “the Ministry has asked the State Government to quickly finalize the left over claims of DPs of 1965 and send proposals to the MHA”.
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