Nearly 3800 Kashmiri migrant candidates have returned to Valley in the last few years to take up the special jobs under the Prime Minister package which has been an important component for the rehabilitation of those families which were desirous of settling back at their original, ancestral places or residence.
The number has risen significantly post abrogation of Article 370 with 520 migrant candidates having returned to Kashmir for taking up the jobs that have been provided to them under the rehabilitation package. Another 2000 migrant candidates, informed Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy in the Rajya Sabha, are also likely to return under the same policy this year after successful completion of the selection process.
Out of a total of 6000 posts announced under PM packages, nearly 3800 Kashmiri migrants have been rehabilitated directly by way of providing government employment. These employees are working in various districts of Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Bandipora, Anantnag and Ganderbal.
As per the report of Relief Office setup in 1990 by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, 44,167 Kashmiri migrant families are registered who had to move from the valley since 1990 due to security concerns. Out of these, the count of registered Hindu migrant families is 39,782.
Reddy informed Parliament that the government has devised policies for Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants, under the Prime Minister’s Packages in 2008 and 2015. This includes an assistance of Rs 7.5 lakh for repairing their fully or partially damaged house, Rs two lakh for dilapidated/unused houses and Rs 7.5 Lakh for purchase/construction of a house in group housing societies for those who have sold their properties during the period after 1989 and before the enactment of JK Migrant Immovable Property Preservation, Protection and Restraint of Distress Sale 1997.
The minister informed that cash relief has also being provided to Kashmiri migrants, which has been increased from time to time, that is from Rs 500 per family in 1990 to Rs 13,000 per family.
As many as 6000 transit accommodation units are also being constructed for Kashmiri migrant employees in various districts of Kashmir Valley at an estimated cost of Rs 920 Crore. So far, 1025 dwelling units have already been constructed which include 721 units in the districts of Budgam, Kulgam, Kupwara, Anantnag and Pulwama. Another 1488 units are under construction and land has been identified for about 2444 units.
