SRI NAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday said over 12.5 lakh domicile certificates were issued so far, with 99% of them being erstwhile Permanent Resident Certificate (PRD) holders.
The certificates don’t confer the land rights but are meant for applying of jobs, it said.
“Over 99% of those issued certificates include holders of erstwhile Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) and include Kashmiri Pandit migrants,” government spokesman Rohit Kansal said.
So far, 11,398 West Pakistan refugees, 415 Valmikis, 10 Gorkhas and 12,340 registered migrants have been issued the certificates, he said.
Kansal said the government has reduced the time limit from 15 days to just five days for providing domicile certificates to PRC holders. “For erstwhile J&K residents, the domicile certificate would be issued on availability of PRCs,” he added.
Principal Secretary Revenue Pawan Kotwal said the certificate is for applying for jobs and does not confer right to buy land. “It has nothing to do with the land rights. It is only a device for a person to get employment under the Decentralization and Recruitment Act. The domicile certificate does not entitle the right to buy the land here,”he asserted.