Lok Sabha Question No. 1529 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL, GANESH SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1529

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH  DECEMBER, 2015/AGRAHAYANA 17, 1937 (SAKA)

## REHABILITATION OF KASHMIRI PANDITS

†1529. SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL:

SHRI GANESH SINGH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  programmes  prepared  for  ensuring  employment  and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir valley;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  funds  spent  on  the  said  programmes  during  the  year 2014-15; and
- (c)  the  number  of  families  rehabilitated  in  the  valley  during  the  said  period along with the details of the assistance provided to them by the Government?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (c) There  are  about  62,000  registered  Kashmiri  migrant  families  in the  country,  who  migrated  from  the  Kashmir  Valley  due  to  the  onset  of militancy/terrorism  in  the  State  of  Jammu  and  Kashmir  in  the  early  1990s. About 40,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families are living in Jammu, about 20,000 in Delhi/NCR and about 2000 families are settled in other parts of the country. The Government from time to time has taken various measures for the relief and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Migrants.

Under Prime Minister's Package 2004, 5242 two room tenements have been constructed in Jammu at four locations (Purkhoo, Muthi, Nagrota and Jagti) and  have  been  allotted  to  the  migrants.    Further,  200  flats  have  been constructed at Sheikhpora in Budgam district (Kashmir Valley) and have been allotted  to  the  migrants  on  sharing  basis,  who  have  joined  the  State Government  service under employment  component  of Prime Minister's Package 2008.  Out of these 200 flats, 31 flats have also been allotted to the local migrants who migrated from their native places to other places within the Kashmir Valley.

A Comprehensive Package amounting to Rs.1618.40 crore was announced by the  Government  in  2008  for  return  and  rehabilitation  of  Kashmiri  Migrants, which  provided  for  many  comprehensive  facilities  for  the  migrants  e.g. provision  of  3000  state  government  jobs,  financial  assistance  for  purchase/ construction of houses, construction of transit accommodations, continuation of  cash  relief  to  migrants,  scholarship  to  students,  assistance  for  selfemployment, assistance to the agriculturists and the horticulturist, waiver of interest on unpaid loan, etc. The Package is being implemented by the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir. So far state government jobs have been offered  to  1963  migrant  youths,  out  of  which  1597  have  joined.  469  Transit accommodations have been constructed in the Kashmir Valley and allotted to the  newly  appointed  migrant  employees  under  the  Package  and  one  family has  availed  the  benefit  of  Rs.7.5  Lakh  for  construction  of  house  in  the Kashmir Valley.

Besides,  the  Government  of  India  has  approved  another  package,  on  18 th November  2015,  involving  an  estimated  expenditure  of  Rs.2000  Crore  for providing  additional  3000  state  government  jobs  to  the  Kashmiri  migrants and  construction  of  transit  accommodations  in  the  Kashmir  Valley  for  the Kashmiri migrants to whom state government jobs have been provided/ will be provided.

The Government is providing cash relief at the rate of Rs.2500/- per head per month (maximum Rs.10000/- per family per month) plus dry ration (9 Kg. Rice, 2 Kg. Atta per person per month and 1 Kg. Sugar per family per month) to eligible 18,250 Kashmiri migrant families living in Jammu. The Government of NCT of  Delhi  is  also  providing  cash  relief  of  Rs.2500/-  per  head  per  month (maximum  Rs.10000/-  per  family  per  month)  to  eligible  3,385  Kashmiri migrant families living in Delhi/NCR. Other States are providing relief as per scales fixed by them from their own budget.

Expenditure incurred by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on the relief and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri migrants is being reimbursed by Ministry of Home Affairs under Security Related Expenditure (Relief & Rehabilitation) SRE (R&R). A part of the expenditure incurred by the Government of NCT of Delhi in respect of the cash relief paid to the Kashmiri migrants is also being reimbursed by Ministry of Home Affairs under SRE (R&R). The Government of India has incurred a total expenditure of Rs.1663.92 Crore under SRE (R&R) till September 2015 in respect of the relief and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri migrants  since  1989-90,  out  of  which  Rs.155.03  Crore  has  been  incurred during  2014-15  and  Rs.181.75  Crore  has  been  incurred  during  2015-16  till September 2015.

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