JAMMU: The Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) held a protest at Chatha Chowk Gadigarh under the patronage of veteran refugee leader Khazan Singh on Friday demanding immediate release and disbursement of part package of Rs 2,000 crore repeatedly announced by Prime Minister for DP’s of 1947.
The Prime Minister had made its announcement as back as November, 2015 with absolutely no further development towards its sanction, release and disbursement among the victims whose wounds continue to bleed for the last 70 years, the complete one life-spell. The exasperated protesters warned the Union Government and the State Government to deal with this issue with total sincerity and disburse this part amount of the onetime package at the earliest besides taking cognizance of the remaining issues as already recommended, failing which these Refugees in their last spell of life will be forced to create Valley-like situation here also.
President JKSAC Gurdev Singh in his address to the big gathering of refugees said that Prime Minister’s announcement of 2015 should have been duly honoured by the Central Government and the State Government at the highest priority to ensure that the amount reaches in the hands of these sufferers during the financial year 2015-2016 itself but it is strange that no action has been taken towards working the modalities and preparing a comprehensive road map for disbursement of this amount taking into account the report of Joint Parliamentary Committee till date. He said that the significant components particularly reservation and employment of the wards of DPS as recommended, are missing in the package.
He further said that during past these seventy years DP’s have not been given any kind of concession / compensation by the govt. except the allotment of few kanals land / plot / quarter while the other category of migrants who left valley in 1989-90 due to certain adverse social condition well in the presence of mighty Indian and State govt. are being doled out lavishly and package after package of employment have been provided to their wards besides many more other concessions. The valley migrants have suffered less amount of loss of lives and properties as compared to DP’s of 1947 from POK. He said that we are not jealous of them but it is unfortunate that incase of DP’s of 1947 different yard sticks are applied when both the categories are possessing similar status in the state.
Netar Prakash General Secretary and Balbir Singh “Ajji” also addressed the protestors and urged upon the govt. to simplify the procedure for issuance of PRC in DP’s as per the PRC Act of 1963 and computerize the record of DP’s in PRO Office which is in torn condition.