J&K administration to regularise colonies housing refugees from PoJK

Jammu, March 6

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the colonies of displaced families from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) would be regularised. Inaugurating a special governance camp for displaced people from the PoJK at the Sports Stadium in Bhour, Jammu, he said the displaced families from the PoJK had suffered a lot.

Faced discrimination for decades

Refugees faced discrimination for decades as they were denied voting and other rights. Manoj Sinha, L-G

“The camp is aimed at saturating social security schemes, handholding of youth so they pursue their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs, and ensuring that they avail all the facilities like other citizens. Steps will be taken to regularise the colonies of displaced families,” the L-G said.

The L-G also said that the administration would take up with the Central Government the issue of over 5,000 displaced families of the PoJK who failed to avail the one-time central assistance timely. Under the one-time central assistance in November 2015, 33,636 cases were approved and Rs 1,452.33 crore was distributed among the displaced persons . The scheme ended in March last year. Sinha announced that the administration would construct Smriti Bhawan in memory of those killed in PoJK when Pakistan’s army and tribal raiders entered the region after the country’s Partition. “Every effort will be made to preserve and promote the culture and traditions of the displaced families. Land has already been identified and construction work will start soon,” he said.

Asserting that the PoJK had been an integral part of India, he said the commitment made in Parliament regarding the PoJK would soon be fulfilled. “The development of new J&K is incomplete without the complete integration of the displaced people from the PoJK with the mainstream,” he said.

Recalling that an outreach programme was started in 2021 for the displaced families living outside the UT, he informed that more than 21,000 domicile certificates had been issued through camps in Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

“The refugees had been facing discrimination for decades. Several communities were denied voting and other rights. Many generations were treated as second-class citizens. After August 2019, they were given equal rights and opportunities,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)