Lok Sabha Question No. 3170 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: Resettlement Fund for Hindu Refugees
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3170

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21 ST  MARCH, 2017/ PHALGUNA 30, 1938 (SAKA)

## RESETTLEMENT FUND FOR HINDU REFUGEES

3170. SHRI HARISH MEENA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has sanctioned a package of Rs. 2000 crores as resettlement funds for Hindu refugees of PoK in Jammu and Kashmir;

- (b) if so, the details thereof and steps taken by the Government to transfer funds directly into the beneficiary's account; and

(c) the details of other benefits provided/proposed to be provided to Hindu refugees in the valley ?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a): The  Government  of  India,  on  22 nd   December  2016,  has  sanctioned  a package of Rs.2000 Crores for providing financial assistance of Rs.5.5 Lakh per  family  to  36,384  displaced  families  of  Pakistan  Occupied  Jammu  and Kashmir area - POJK (1947) and Chhamb (1965 and 1971), living in Jammu and Kashmir.

(b): The State Government of Jammu and Kashmir has been requested to provide requisite details of all beneficiaries so that the amount  of  financial

## L.S.US.Q.NO.3170 FOR 21.03.2017

assistance could be transferred directly into the beneficiaries' account to enable this Ministry to start disbursing the amount. The State Government has already started the work to collect requisite details and documents in this respect and has received forms from 3,135 eligible beneficiaries till 16 th March 2017

(c): Details  of  other  benefits  provided  so  far  to  the  displaced  families  of POJK (1947) and Chhamb (1965 and 1971), living in Jammu and Kashmir, are given at Annexure.

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## Details of other benefits provided so far to the displaced families of POJK (1947) and Chhamb (1965 and 1971), living in Jammu and Kashmir

## 1. Displaced Persons of POK (1947)

1.1 In order to mitigate the hardship of the families of displaced persons from POJK and to rehabilitate them, the Government of India had announced relief and rehabilitation measures from  time  to  time.  In  1947-48,  a  package  was  sanctioned,  which  included  allotment  of  2-3 acres of irrigated or 4-6 acres of un-irrigated land, Rs.1,000 per family as ex-gratia relief and regularization of 46 basties in rural areas for rural settlers. Subsequently, ownership rights in respect of State land were also conferred upon them. In respect of Evacuee land, occupancy tenancy rights were given under the Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976. The State Government of Jammu and Kashmir has informed that a total of 6,80,850 kanals of evacuee property land and 2,43,000 kanals of State land had been allotted to the Displaced Persons of 1947. For urban settlers,  the  package  included  ex-gratia  payment  of  Rs.3500  per  family.  1,628  residential quarters and 793 plots have also been allotted to the urban settlers.

- 1.2 In 2000, the Government of India announced another package as under:
- (i) Payment of cash compensation for land deficiency @Rs.5,000 per kanal subject to maximum of Rs.25,000 per family.
- (ii)  Payment of ex-gratia  relief  @Rs.25,000  per  family  to  those  displaced  persons  of Pak occupied Kashmir who were held in Pak captivity during the crucial period from September,  1947  and  December,  1950;  those  who  did  not  stay  in  camps;  and where the head of the family did not move along with family before the cut-off date.
- (iii)  Payment  of  Rs.2  Crores  to  the  State  Government  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  for allotment of plots to those who had settled in urban areas.
- (iv) Release of Rs.25 Lakh to State Government for improvement of civic amenities in 46 regularised basties.

1.3 In  2008,  the  Government  of  India  announced  another  package  in  which  the  scale  of cash compensation for land deficiency was increased from Rs.5,000 per kanal to Rs.25,000 per kanal subject to maximum of Rs.1.5 lakh and Rs.2 lakh to be provided to the urban settlers who have not been allotted plots in urban areas in lieu of the plots.

## 2. Displaced Persons of Chhamb

- 2.1 In  1965,  the  State  Government  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  rehabilitated  about  3500 displaced families of Chhamb by providing cash compensation of Rs.3000 per family and land.
- 2.2 In 1971, 4600 families of displaced persons from Chhamb were accommodated in relief camps. Subsequently these families were rehabilitated in  Jammu and Kashmir in a phased manner  under  different  schemes  implemented  through  the  Chhamb  Displaced  Persons Rehabilitation Authority (CDPRA). The agricultural families were given 4 acres of irrigated or 6 acres of un-irrigated land per family. Government of India had sanctioned the payment of cash compensation of  up  to  Rs.5,000  per  kanal  in  lieu  of  land  deficiency.  In  addition,  they  were given rehabilitation grant of Rs.13,500 per family.

2.3 In 2002, the Government of India sanctioned a scheme for payment of ex-gratia relief @Rs.25,000  per  family  for  about  1200  displaced  families  of  Chhamb,  who  had  property  in Chhamb Area but were residing elsewhere in the State and did not stay in the relief camps.

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