New Delhi December 12: In a response to a query in Lok Sabha, the government disclosed that over 46,000 Kashmiri families left the valley in the early 1990s due to security reasons.
Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, addressed the inquiry from Shiv Sena MP Kalaben Mohanbhai Delkar regarding the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rai stated, “46,631 Kashmiri Migrant families were registered with the Relief Organisation (Migrant), while several other Kashmiri Migrant families migrated to other parts of the country.”
Highlighting the extent of the migration, he continued, “As many as 46,631 Kashmiri Migrant families, comprising 1,57,967 individuals, are registered with the Relief Organization (Migrant), Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, several other Kashmiri Migrant families moved to other parts of the country in the early 1990s due to security reasons.”
Rai provided a written response, outlining the government’s measures for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits over the past five years. According to him, the government has initiated steps to repatriate Kashmiri migrants, including providing government employment to 5,675 individuals. He stated, “The Government of Jammu and Kashmir launched an online portal in August 2021, wherein Kashmiri migrants can lodge online grievances related to encroachment, change of title, mutation, and distress sale. To date, 2924 kanals and 19.55 marlas of land have been retrieved.”Other initiatives mentioned by Rai include issuing ration cards to Kashmiri Migrant families without them, providing Ayushman Sehat Cards to families registered for Domicile Certificates, and extending the benefits of social security schemes to Kashmiri Migrant families.
