Govt incurred Rs 300 crore for Kashmiri migrants in 2 yrs

Jammu and Kashmir government today said it has spent over Rs 300 crore for providing cash assistance to Kashmiri migrants during the last two financial years.
"The government has incurred Rs 321. 948 crore on account of providing cash assistance to Kashmiri migrants from March 2014 to April 2016. An amount of Rs 18. 76 crore was also used for providing food grains to the migrants registered under relief category in Jammu," Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Syed Basharat Bukhari told Legislative Assembly here.
Replying to a question by MLA Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, the Minister said Kashmiri migrants, under relief category, are presently being provided monthly cash assistance of Rs 2500 per person subject to a maximum of Rs 10,000 per family per month.

He said these families are also provided ration - rice at the rate of nine kg per person, flour two kg per person and sugar one kg per family per month respectively.
The Minster informed the House that for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, the Centre and the state government had sanctioned a package of Rs 1618. 40 crore in 2008 and 2009.
"Under the package, those Kashmiri migrants who propose or intend to return to their original place of stay, there is a component of financial assistance of Rs 7. 50 lakh for construction of the house. In addition, 6000 government jobs and 9000 additional jobs through establishing income generating units are also being provided to Kashmiri migrant Pandits under the PM's package," he said.

Under the package, one time grant for revival of agriculture and horticulture land besides continuation of relief for two years, scholarships to school going children and waiver of interest would also be provided to the migrants who propose or intend to return to their original places of residence, Bukhari said.
He also said that registered Muslim families who migrated to different parts of the country and live in different states are also entitled to benefits as are provided to migrant communities in that particular state.