By Daya Sagar
Report drawn by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by Rajiv Pratap Rudy MP as convener visited Jammu & Kashmir during first week of September 2013 for interaction with affected people and State Governments was presented to Rajya Sabha on 22nd December, 2014 and was also laid on the table of Lok Sabha on 22nd December 2014, had stressed the need for setting up a regular department for handling the affairs and demands of the displaced persons from the occupied areas of Jammu & Kashmir by Pakistan in 1947 (PoJK DPs 1947) but even that part of the recommendations has not been attended to neither by Centre nor by the state Government.
In the draft scheme that had been notified by the Deputy Commissioner Jammu on 19th March 2016 for public comments also some additional staff was proposed for the office of PRO Jammu, DCs Jammu/ Samba/Kathua, Divisional Commissioner and Financial Commissioner, too though was not that adequate but it is still not sure whether even that skeleton staff has been put in place or not.
Even with regard to an amount of Rs. 2000 Cr being talked about it would be worthwhile to mention here that Deputy Commissioner, Jammu had on 19th March 2016 notified draft guidelines regarding disbursement of relief of Rs. 2,000 cr sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India as one time settlement of claims of Displaced Persons from Pakistan Occupied Areas of the Indian State of J&K in 1947 (DPs of POJK 1947), Chamb DPs of 1965 and 1971 (Camp/Non-Camp) as formulated by the Divisional Commissioner Jammu and received in his office under Divisional Commissioner, Jammu letter No.1402/DPs/O.T. Settlement /2113-15 dated 05-03-2016. Deputy Commissioner Jammu had invited comments / suggestions on the guidelines for suitable changes if needed , latest by 30th March, 2016. Whereas it was reported in media only on 26 August 2016 that amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s overtures to people of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, the government is all set to announce a Rs 2,000 crore package for displaced people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir land the Home Ministry was expected to place the details of the package before the Union Cabinet for approval soon. And then it was only on 30-11-2016 that media reported that the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved on 30-11-2016 Central assistance of Rs. 2,000 cr for 36,384 displaced families from PoJK and Chamb following an announcement of Prime Minister’s Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir in November, 2015 and the amount will be released to State Government to be disbursed to eligible families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Thereafter it has been on 5th December 2016 that Divisional Commissioner, in addition to making some recommendations for acceptance of some objections submitted by PoJK DPs (in response to notification of 20 march 2016 issued by Deputy Commissioner Jammu), wrote to Principle Secretary to Chief Minister I/C Financial Commissioner Relief and Rehabilitation Department Vide his letter No.402/DPS/3813-19 on disbursement of Rs.2000 cr Relief / Financial Assistance Package to 36384 families of DPs of POJK 1947,1965 &1971 under PMDP that 1.(para-5) “However now it has been given to understand that this financial assistance could only be a part of Prime Minister’s Development Package and not a full and final settlement” . 2 ( para-6) This lack of clarity has arisen as neither GOI nor State Government has notified the said scheme but through a communication received by this office from Administrative Department vide R&R/Rehab/ SCS/19/2015-I dated 22-10-2016, it has been conveyed to the undersigned that the State Government has approved the draft scheme along with the amendments proposed later by this office in toto for its operationalization which was followed by another communication.
R&R/Rehab/ SCS/19/2015-I dated 24-10-2016 which conveyed that … ” relief as one time settlement of DPs of 1947, Chamb DPs of 1965&1971 may be provided @ Rs.5.5 Lac in favour of each of the 36384 families as are found eligible / verified through laid down procedure..”, 3. ( Para -10) ” That this office has also spoken on this with Parida Under Secretary ( Rehabilitation ) in the Ministry of Home Affairs , who deals with the component of PMDP in the MHA . Who said that the MHA would notify the Scheme as and when formal Cabinet Sanction is received by the MHA and 4. In ( para – 11) that ” In view of the above it is recommended that the State Government might consider deleting para -4 of the schedule if the MHA does not prescribe in their notification which they are going to issue shortly”.
This shows that even after passing of nearly two years there has been no clear policy has been notified / made
public on the sanction, the amounts and terms by the government.
It is very much doubted that this way the affairs concerning POJK DPs could be settled in near future including disbursement of special assistance / one time settlement being talked about in relation to an amount of Rs.2000 Cr reported through media.
(* Daya Sagar is a Sr journalist and a social activist can be reached at [email protected]).
