NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed to constitute a 10-member panel of Kashmiri Pandits to monitor the implementation of the Centre’s rehabilitation packages for the community. The Panel of Kashmiri Pandits will also include representatives of migrant camps from Muthi and Pukhroo.
“We had requested the Home Ministry in a meeting in December last year to put in place a mechanism so that various rehabilitation schemes meant for migrants could be effectively implemented. One such suggestion was to form a panel of representatives from various Kashmiri civil society groups.
The terms of reference for the panel will be finalised after consulting various stakeholders,” a member on the panel told the Express requesting anonymity. It is learnt that the proposal has been sent to Jammu and Kashmir and the Delhi government seeking inputs after consultation with Kashmiri migrants associations. About 40,668 registered Kashmiri migrant families are residing in Jammu, about 19,338 registered Kashmiri migrant families are living in Delhi and about 2,000 families are settled in other states.
Almost two decades ago, the series of brutal killings during the peak of Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir had forced more than 62,000 Kashmiri Pandit families to migrate from the Valley leaving behind their homes and jobs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, after assuming office in 2014, had announced an over Rs 500-crore package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants. The package was rejected by some Kashmiri Pandits association last year demanding proper rehabilitation plan by the Central government.
The Civil society groups had claimed that 1,600 persons who have accepted jobs in the Valley under rehabilitation package were ‘living in hell’.