Only 3 of 6,500 Kashmiri migrant families permanently returned to valley: Parliamentary panel
J&K administration cites security and socio-economic concerns; the three families were given financial assistance amounting to Rs 22.50 lakh under the housing assistance component
Despite a comprehensive Prime Minister's package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants announced 16 years back, offering financial assistance of Rs 7.50 lakh per family, only three migrant families out of the 6,510 applications received have returned and permanently settled in the Kashmir valley.
The J&K administration gave this information to a high-level Parliamentary panel on home affairs during its visit to the Kashmir valley in May this year, citing reasons like the prevailing security concerns and socio-economic considerations behind the fact that only three migrant families ultimately returned and resettled in their native places, even as applications had been received from 6,510 displaced families under the rehabilitation package.
As per the terms of the package, the three families were given financial assistance amounting to Rs 22.50 lakh under the housing assistance component, the committee was informed.
A comprehensive Prime Minister's Package for Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants, amounting to Rs 1,618.40 crore, was announced in 2009, the panel was informed.
Expressing concern over this, the Parliamentary panel recommended a comprehensive assessment of the security, housing, livelihood, education and social concerns inhibiting return of migrant families, including a structured survey of migrant families residing outside the Union Territory of J&K, so that the rehabilitation package may be suitably reviewed and a safe, voluntary and dignified return of such families is facilitated.
