Govt told to identify land for Pandits

New Delhi, July 27

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has been requested to identify suitable land in the Kashmir valley where the migrants could be rehabilitated, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

This was stated by Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir while replying to a written question by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who had asked about the status of government’s plan for setting up a “composite township” for displaced Kashmiri Pandit migrants.

There are 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrants who had to leave the Valley due to militancy in early 1990s. Of these, 40,000 families are in Jammu, 20,000 in Delhi and remaining 2,000 in rest of the country.

“The state government of Jammu and Kashmir has been requested to identify suitable land in Kashmir, where the Kashmiri migrants could be rehabilitated,” the minister said in his reply.

He said a variety of measures had been taken over the years by the government which include providing two-room tenements at four places in Jammu and 2,000 flats at Sheikhpora in Budgam district in Kashmir as part of the 2004 Prime Minister’s package.

He said as part of a comprehensive package in 2008, 3,000 jobs in the state were to be provided, besides announcing a financial assistance for construction of houses in the Kashmir valley and building transit accommodation.

“The package is being implemented by the state government and so far 1,719 jobs have been provided to Kashmiri migrants besides construction of 505 transit accommodation,” he said.

Ahir said another package was announced in November, 2015, under which another 3,000 jobs were approved besides construction of 6,000 transit accommodation in the Kashmir valley. —PTI

3,550 security men hurt in stone-throwing this year

New Delhi:  As many as 3,550 security forces personnel and 2,309 civilians were injured following protests and stone-throwing incidents in Jammu and Kashmir till July 25 this year, the Rajya Sabha was told today. Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said there were 1,029 incidents of severe protests and stone-throwing in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year in which 48 civilians and two security personnel were killed. There were 730 incidents of severe protests and stone-throwing in 2015 in which five civilians were killed and 240 injured while 886 security forces personnel were also injured.—PTI