STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Member Legislative Council, Vibodh Gupta on Wednesday participated in the discussion on Motion of Thanks on Governor’s Address in the Legislative Council.
Initiating the debate, Vibodh Gupta demanded permanent resident status for all the 1947 refugees of West Pakistan.
“As per the report of the Wadhwa Committee of 2oo7 constituted by the government around 5,764 families consisting of 47,215 persons migrated from West Pakistan and got settled mainly in different areas of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri Districts of Jammu Division,” MLC said.
“Those who stayed back in Jammu are the unfortunate lot who till date are tagged as refugees and hence denied jobs in the State Government, admission in Technical/ Professional/ Higher Education institutions run by the State, right to vote for Panchayats/local bodies/ State Legislature, right to buy immovable property and any other benefit for which production of Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) is mandatory,” he said.
“Though they are Indian citizens but have not been given the status of Permanent Residents of J&K even after seven decades,” he alleged.
Highlighting the issue of Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (POJK) displaced persons of 1947, Vibodh Gupta said that these people are not given any other relief due to the reason that they are not settled in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and have moved and settled in various other parts of the country.
Vibodh called upon the government to include all 5,300 families of displaced persons living outside J&K in the Rs 2000 crore compensation package being given to the displaced persons from POJK settled in J&K.
He said what action State Government may be taking in this direction is nowhere reflected in the Governor’s Address.
He said people living along the LoC and IB are under continuous stress due to of ceasefire violation by Pakistan.
He also said there have been regular demands for allotments of 5 Marlas of land to these families near safe towns for keeping their children there so that their education is not disturbed but no indication has come from the government for having drawn out any such plan for them in the near future.
Asking that horticulture in Jammu region is very much neglected, he said there is utmost need for a Horticulture University in Jammu Region where in addition to temperate horticulture (apple/walnut/ cherry) lot needs to be done for mango and citrus fruits.
Even after three years of this government having taken over there is no reference of this sector in Governor’s Address, he said.
He also asked government to upgrade Bani Basohli and Bhadarwah Tourism sector and start Jammu-Poonch Highway four-laning project at the earliest.
