5724 Kashmiri migrants given Govt jobs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 6: Around 5,724 Kashmiri migrants have been given Government jobs under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP)-2015 and Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) in Jammu and Kashmir
“Unemployed youth are also being facilitated to get financial assistance under self-employment schemes,” Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
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The Government has also taken several steps for the security of Kashmiri migrants including robust security and intelligence grid, group security in form of static guards, round-the-clock nakas at the strategic points, night patrolling and area domination, identification of vulnerable spots, security arrangement through appropriate deployment and intensified cordon and search operations, the MoS Home said.
The cash assistance of Rs 3,250 per person to eligible Kashmiri migrants subject to a maximum limit of Rs 13,000 per family per month is being given, he said.
“Eligible Kashmiri migrants are provided with 9 kg of rice per person, 2 kg atta per person and 1 kg sugar per family per month as basic dry ration. To facilitate the return of Kashmiri migrants to Kashmir valley, 6,000 transit accommodations are being constructed for employees recruited under Prime Minister’s Package,” the MoS said.
“Five Government schools (4 Higher Secondary level and one Secondary level) have been set up in camps to provide education to displaced children. Migration Certificate is issued to eligible migrant students through online portal www.jkmigrantrelief.nic.in. For the convenience of Kashmiri migrants, Domicile Certificate, Resident of Backward Area Certificate, Migrant Certificate, Income Certificate, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) Certificates and Registration Certificates are issued online,” Rai said.
Replying to another question, he said the non-permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir have also started to enjoy all the rights enshrined in Constitution after the abrogation of Article 370.
In a written reply to the question raised by MP Vivek Thakur in Lok Sabha on the benefits extended to society post-repealing of Article 370, Rai highlighted the situation before the abrogation.
“Before abrogation of Article 370, certain sections of the society of Jammu and Kashmir including West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs) who migrated from West Punjab of Pakistan in 1947 and their descendants having been considered as non-permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir and were denied full rights enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Rai said.
“As a result, they did not have the right to own property, employment by the State Government and right to cast vote in the Legislative Assembly and local body elections of Jammu and Kashmir. However, Displaced Persons of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) were considered as permanent residents of J&K,” he added.
He further said that after the abrogation of Article 370, all rights enshrined in the Constitution of India are now available to everyone.
“All rights including the right to own property, employment under the UT Government and right to cast vote in the Legislative Assembly and local body elections of Jammu and Kashmir are now available to the then non-permanent residents such as West Pakistani Refugees, Valmiki community and Safai-karamacharis based on their eligibility,” he said.
Rai said that only two terror attacks on pilgrims have taken place between 2022 and 2024 in Jammu and Kashmir, with 14 casualties reported in these incidents.
In a written reply to a query from Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, Rai said that no such incident has taken place in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. He said that in 2022 one such incident took place on May 13, when a blast took place inside a passenger bus in Katra, resulting in five casualties. Similarly, this year on June 9, terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims near Kanda area of Reasi district, resulting in nine casualties.
He added that in response to these attacks, Government has enhanced security measures to protect pilgrims.
“The key initiatives include regular issuance of safety advisories to inform and guide pilgrims, a robust mechanism for intelligence sharing among security agencies, and provision of Central Armed Police Forces upon request from State or Union Territory authorities,” the Minister said.
He added that Jammu and Kashmir Government has also implemented specific measures to bolster security, such as the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for pilgrim safety, coordination of security efforts among various agencies, installation of CCTV cameras along routes, camps, and langar points of the Amarnath deployment of drones at sensitive locations, stationing of specialized quick action teams at strategic points, provision of corridor protection by the Army, deployment of senior officers at Pahalgam and Baltal to monitor arrangements, and regular reviews by senior officers to ensure effective security measures.
Rai said the Centre has notified New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) for industrial development in Jammu and Kashmir with financial outlay of Rs 28,400 crore for encouraging new investments.
In another written reply in the Lok Sabha, he said that the incentives being provided under NCSS include capital investment incentive, capital interest subvention, goods & services tax linked incentive and working capital interest subvention. He said that Jammu and Kashmir administration has taken various policy initiatives to boost the industry sector and making it as investor friendly destination.
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