For refugees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) it is a surprise and virtual gift from the blues after passage of 69 years. These persons displaced from PoK in 1947 and who took shelter in India post-partition. Why it was not given to them earlier when they apparently needed it direly to set up a new establishment in India is not clear. Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s overtures to the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, the government announced as part of the Rs 80,000 crore package in November last year. The Jammu and Kashmir government has identified 36,348 families eligible to get relief under the package. This package is over and above the relief provided to PoK refugees settled in Jammu and Kashmir till now. It will be treated as a one-time settlement of compensation claims by the families. In 2014, the National Conference-Congress Government led by Omar Abdullah had submitted proposal with regard to provision of funds to the tune of Rs 9,096 crore for payment of compensation as one-time settlement in favour of 36,384 families who were displaced from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Chhamb areas. The state government had recommended a payment of Rs 25 lakh per family. Each of these families will get around Rs 5.5 lakh as aid, a senior official said. The amount is “one time settlement” for the displaced families and will be released to the Jammu and Kashmir government to be disbursed to eligible families through Direct Benefit Transfer. The refugees from West Pakistan, mostly from PoK, settled in different areas of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts. The refugees would be first beneficiaries to get relief through Direct Benefit Transfer maintaining the total transparency thus avoiding the complaints of bungling and benefits not reaching to the targeted group.
