A post is being shared on Facebook by many people claiming that Modi has provided houses for Kashmiri Pandits so that they can return to their homes finally after 30 years. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Claim: PM Modi to inaugurate transit colony in Ganderbal. Kashmir pandits to return home after 30 years.
Fact: This is not the first time that Kashmiri Pandits were provided transit homes in the state. Flats & transit homes were also constructed under the previous governments. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING
When searched for the information on transit homes for Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir, the information provided by Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, MoS in the Home Ministry, to the Lok Sabha can be found in the search results. He provided that answer on 8th Feb 2015 to an unstarred question on Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. According to that answer, houses for migrants were constructed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir under various packages allotted to the state:
Package 1: 2004
“Under Prime Minister’s Package 2004, 5242 two-room tenements have been constructed in Jammu at four locations (Purkhoo, Muthi, Nagrota and Jagti) and have been allotted to the migrants. Further, 200 flats have been constructed at Sheikhpora in Budgam district (Kashmir Valley) and have been allotted to the migrants on sharing basis, who have joined the State Government service under the employment component of Prime Minister’s Package 2008. Out of these 200 flats, 31 flats have also been allotted to the local migrants who migrated from their native places to other places within the Kashmir Valley.”
Package 2: 2008
“A Comprehensive Package amounting to Rs.1618.40 crore was announced by the Government in 2008 for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants, which provided for many comprehensive facilities for the migrants e.g. provision of 3000 state government jobs, financial assistance for purchase/ construction of houses, construction of transit accommodations, continuation of cash relief to migrants, scholarship to students, assistance for self-employment, assistance to the agriculturists and the horticulturist, waiver of interest on unpaid loan, etc. The Package is being implemented by the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir. So far state government jobs have been offered to 1963 migrant youths, out of which 1597 have joined. 469 Transit accommodations have been constructed in the Kashmir Valley and allotted to the newly appointed migrant employees under the Package and one family has availed the benefit of Rs.7.5 Lakh for construction of house in the Kashmir Valley.”
Package 3: 2015
“Government of India has approved another package, on 18th November 2015, involving an estimated expenditure of Rs.2000 Crore for providing additional 3000 state government jobs to the Kashmiri migrants and construction of transit accommodations in the Kashmir Valley for the Kashmiri migrants to whom state government jobs have been provided/ will be provided.”
From the above information provided by the minister, it can be concluded that this is not the first time where Kashmiri Pandits are being given homes in the Kashmir valley.
According to the latest information available, the foundation stone was laid for the Ganderbal transit accommodation by PM Modi on 3rd Feb, 2019. Also, Ganderbal project was part of the rehabilitation package announced in 2008 by the Congress government
To sum it up, this is not the first time that Kashmiri Pandits were provided houses in the Kashmir valley. It happened during the previous governments too.
1 Comment
Pakages are being given to migrants only,even a single word was not available for those Kashmiri Pandit families who are residing in the valley since 1990, nor any package was available neither through State Government nor Central Government for those families.If any Kashmiri Pandit takes Judgement from the Hon’ble Court/s departments are hesitating in implementing such cases. In a PSC, One Officer issues confirmation letters to their respective employees and confirms their services after the period prescribed as per norms from the date of Joining.But another officer of the same rank supper seeds these confirmation letters and confirms them from the date they inducted as dailywages when everything was decided in confirmation letters issued by the previous competant authority. Also some dailywagers from Hindu community who too have performed same duties in disturbance in valley since 1989-90,one group was helped by Central Government and the recruitment authorityies on the basis of Court orders,it is out of place to mention here that the problems of people from weeker secessions of the society are not being looked into.