SRINAGAR, DEC 12: In response to a query in Lok Sabha by Shiv Sena MP Kalaben Mohanbhai Delkar, Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, revealed that during the early 1990s, more than 46,000 Kashmiri families had left the valley due to security concerns.
Rai specified, “A total of 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 relocated to various parts of the country during that period due to security reasons.”
In a written response, Rai outlined the government’s efforts in the past five years towards the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. These measures included providing government employment to 5,675 individuals and the launch of an online portal in August 2021 for Kashmiri Migrants to file grievances related to encroachment, change of title, mutation, and distress sale. Rai noted the retrieval of 2924 Kanals and 19.55 Marlas of land through this portal.
Other initiatives mentioned by Rai encompassed the issuance of ration cards to Kashmiri Migrant families lacking them, the distribution of Ayushman Sehat Cards to families with Domicile Certificates, and extending the benefits of Social Security schemes to Kashmiri Migrant families.
Rai also highlighted the launch of online services for registration and certificate issuance, resulting in the issuance of 160,856 domicile certificates, 2,035 Resident of Backward Area (RBA) certificates, 902 EWS certificates, and 31,672 migrant certificates.
Despite these initiatives, Rai acknowledged the historical failure of successive governments to implement a successful rehabilitation policy, which has hindered the return of Kashmiri Pandits who had left in the late 1990s due to escalating militancy in the region.
