64,951 Kashmiri Pandit families, who left Valley in 1990 residing in country: MoS Reddy informs Lok Sabha

MoS for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said a total of 64,951 Kashmiri Pandit families, who left the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s were currently residing in Jammu (43,618), Delhi (19,338) and other states (1,995) while asserting that it has been the endeavour of the government to create an environment conducive for their return.

MoS for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said a total of 64,951 Kashmiri Pandit families, who left the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s were currently residing in Jammu (43,618), Delhi (19,338) and other states (1,995) while asserting that it has been the endeavour of the government to create an environment conducive for their return. "The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has reported that due to the onset of militancy in Kashmir valley in the 1990s, the number of registered migrant families currently residing in Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and elsewhere in the country is as under. Number of migrant families residing in Jammu is 43,618, 19,338 in Delhi/NCR and 1,995 in other States/UTs," Reddy stated in a reply in Lok Sabha.

He was replying to a question asked by MP Mala Roy about the number of Kashmiri Pandits who left the valley in the 1990s and are currently residing in the country and the measures being taken to bring them back home and the time by which they are likely to return. "In order to encourage the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants back at their ancestral places in Kashmir valley, approval was given to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir for implementing the following schemes under the Prime Minister's Development Package, 2015 (PMDP- 2015)," Reddy said.

"Creation of 3,000 State Government jobs for the Kashmiri migrants at an outlay of Rs. 1,080 crores. As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, selection process has been concluded in respect of 1781 posts and 604 candidates have joined in different departments as on 22nd February, 2020. These jobs are in addition to the 3000 State Government jobs approved under the Prime Minister's Package-2008, against which 2,905 jobs have been filled," he stated. "Construction of 6,000 transit accommodations at an outlay of Rs. 920 crores for accommodating 3000 Kashmiri migrants employed under PMRP- 2008 and for 3000 additional migrants under PMDP-2015. 849 flats have already been constructed," read the reply.

Reddy said that the Government of India also reimburses the expenditure incurred by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir on providing the following facilities to the eligible Kashmiri migrants for the settlement in Jammu. "Monthly cash relief at the current rate of Rs. 3250/- per person with the ceiling of Rs. 13,000/- per family; and monthly dry ration of 9 Kg Rice, 2 Kg Atta per head and 1 Kg Sugar per family," he said.

"In the case of Kashmiri migrants settled in Delhi, the Government of India reimburses the expenditure incurred by the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) on the monthly cash relief of Rs.3250/- per person out of which the share of GNCTD is Rs. 1000/- per person," he said further. (ANI)

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