Says families from West Pakistan given equal rights after August 2019
Inaugurates ‘LG’s Special Governance Camp’
Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday said that PoJK is an integral part of India and that families from West Pakistan, who were facing a lot from past many decades, were given equal rights and equal opportunities are being provided to all.
The Lt Governor inaugurated LG’s Special Governance Camp for Displaced Persons of PoJK, Monday at Sports Stadium, Bhour Camp.
The drive aimed to take the welfare schemes to every house and ensure coverage of all beneficiaries under Centrally Sponsored Schemes & UT Schemes will be held at Udhampur, Rajouri, Jammu, Poonch and Kathua.
“Displaced families of PoJK have suffered a lot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood their sufferings and made arrangements for their financial support and settlement. We have organized this camp on the direction of Prime Minister to saturate social security schemes, handholding of youth so they pursue their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs and ensuring that they can avail all facilities like other citizens. Steps will be taken to regularize the colonies of displaced families,” said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor announced that the J&K Government will construct Smriti Bhawan in the memory of martyrs of PoJK. Every effort will be made to preserve and promote the culture & traditions of displaced families. Land has already been identified and soon the construction work will start, he added.
The Lt Governor also paid homage to the brave civilians who were martyred in the October 1947 terror attack by Pakistan. We remember their supreme sacrifices & understand pain & sufferings of displaced families. It is our responsibility to secure their rights and build an enabling environment to fulfill aspirations of young generation from the community, observed the Lt Governor.
“PoJK is an integral part of India. Commitment made in Parliament regarding PoJK will soon be fulfilled by the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi and Baba Amarnath,” said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor said, the development of new J&K is incomplete without complete integration of PoJK Displaced Persons in the mainstream development. We are committed to ensuring the welfare and well-being of all so they can realize their true potential & contribute in nation building, he noted.
We had started outreach programmes in 2021 for families living outside UT so that no one is left behind in any welfare scheme & focusing on skilling, self employment, social assistance, scholarships, sports, financial inclusion to aid economic development & financial stability, the Lt Governor said.
The Prime Minister’s Mantra of “Vanchito ko Variyata” is guiding our developmental journey. In the last 30 months, we have ensured governance is inclusive, transparent, effective and accountable and provides equal benefit & equal opportunity to all, the Lt Governor observed.
On August 5, 2019, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended the decades-long injustice, and provided equal opportunities to Valmiki, Gorkha, Safai Karamcharis communities and displaced persons, noted the Lt Governor.
“Families from West Pakistan were facing discrimination for many decades. Several communities were denied voting rights and other rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution. Many generations were treated as second-class citizens. After August 2019, they were given equal rights and equal opportunities are being provided to all, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to the Home Minister for making 7 sub-schemes an Umbrella Scheme under “Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates” and extending the welfare schemes till 2025-26, he added.
More than 21,000 domicile certificates were issued through camps in Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. We will continuously run such camps in Jammu Kashmir and other states/UTs so that all the affected families can get the benefits of government welfare schemes, informed the Lt Governor.
Under ‘One Time Central Assistance’ for the Displaced Persons of PoJK, 33,636 cases were approved and an amount of Rs 1452.33 crore was distributed. This scheme ended on 3st March last year. Somehow, more than 5000 families could not submit the claim within the time frame. The issue will be taken with the Central Government, the Lt Governor noted.
The Lt Governor further assured that all pending issues of POJK’s displaced families will be resolved.
The Lt Governor urged the talented youth to avail the benefits of youth-oriented programmes run by the government. Mission youth will extend benefits of all 17 schemes. Sports Council will provide opportunities and all possible help to the promising players in various sports disciplines, he further added.
Dr Deepak Kapoor, President, PoJK Visthapit Seva Samiti expressed his gratitude towards the government for making dedicated efforts for the welfare of the PoJK Displaced persons.
Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; KK Sidha, Commissioner, Relief & Rehabilitation and other senior officers were also present.