Lok Sabha Question No. 3877 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Return of Kashmiri Pandits
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mala Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3877

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2020/ PHALGUNA 27, 1941 (SAKA)

RETURN OF KASHMIRI PANDITS

3877. SHRIMATI MALA ROY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of Kashmiri Pandits who left the valley in the 1990s and are currently residing in the country, State-wise; and

(b)  the  measures  being  taken  to  bring  them  back  home  and  the  time  by which they are likely to return?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a): 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:

| State/UT         | No. of migrant families   |
|------------------|---------------------------|
| Jammu            | 43,618                    |
| Delhi/NCR        | 19,338                    |
| Other States/UTs | 1,995                     |
| Total            | 64,951                    |

## L.S.US.Q.NO.3877 FOR 17.03.2020

(b): It  has  been  the  endeavour of  the  Government  of  India  to  create  an environment conducive for their return to the Valley.

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):

- i) 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  22 nd February,  2020.  These  jobs  are  in  addition  to  the  3000  State Government jobs approved under the Prime Minister's  Package2008, against which 2,905 jobs have been filled.
2. ii) 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 PMDP2015. 849 flats have already been constructed.

-3-

L.S.US.Q.NO.3877 FOR 17.03.2020 In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Government  of  India  reimburses  the expenditure incurred by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir on providing the following facilities to the eligible Kashmiri migrants settled in Jammu:i) monthly cash relief at the current rate of Rs. 3250/- per person with the ceiling of Rs. 13,000/- per family; and ii)  monthly dry ration of  9 Kg Rice, 2 Kg Atta per head and 1 Kg Sugar per family. 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.

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