JK revises package for KPs Cabinet asks Revenue department to work out modalities Srinagar, July 2: The State cabinet Wednesday asked the Revenue Department to “workout the modalities” for implementation of the revised package for relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. Sources said the Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah decided that the Revenue Department would work-out the modalities for the implementation of the revised package and re-send it to New Delhi for clearance. The revised package which was submitted by J&K Government to the Union Government includes an enhanced package of Rs 20 lakh to each KP family for reconstruction of house. Under the previous proposal the financial assistance to each family was limited to Rs 7.5 lakh. This assistance was only applicable to families of Kashmiri Pandits who had sold their properties between 1989 and 1997 when the J&K Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint of Distress Sale) Act was enacted. Once the new plan is approved, the families would get the Rs 20 lakh assistance irrespective of time when they disposed of their properties in the Valley. Sources said under the revised package the preference would be given to the families who own land in Kashmir and have their houses intact. For undertaking the “minor repair works” of their houses each Pandit family would be given assistance of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 each. The revised package envisages 3000 additional jobs for Pandit families to be borne out by the New Delhi in addition to the already approved 6000 jobs by the Government of India in 2008. Though out of 6000 jobs the financial implications for 3000 jobs were as per the original plan to be borne out by the State, sources said the JK Government would ask the New Delhi to support the financial implication for these 3000 jobs as well. For the revival of agriculture and horticultural land, the Pandit families as per the revised package would be given monetary assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. The timing of the Government’s decision to work-out the modalities comes at a time when the Prime Minister NarendraModi has set the return of the Pandits as priority of his government. Last month Union Finance Minister ArunJaitley told media persons here that policy measures for retrain of Kashmiri Pandits are in offing. “All political groups in the Valley support the idea of return and rehabilitation and, therefore, you will have to wait for a few days for us to announce our further policy measures on that,” Jaitley had said. However he said the government would first listen to the representatives of Kashmiri Pandits before moving forward on the matter. Subsequently the Union Home Ministry officials held meeting with Kashmiri Pandit representatives at New Delhi A senior official said total quantum of the revised package for the relief and rehabilitation of 15000 Pandit families is Rs 5800 crore. “But the program will be taken on step wise basis,” he said. The Cabinet also approved the proposal for issuance of an ordinance to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010, under which the left out adhoc employees who have completed seven years of services would be regularized. In as separate decision the cabinet also asked the Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand to come up with location-wise detailed proposal for upgradation of around 953 schools, in the next cabinet meeting. The cabinet has in principle agreed to the proposal, sources said. In another decision, the Cabinet approved restructuring of the Auxiliary Police Battalions (Now SDRF) and gave sanction to the creation of 60 posts of different categories by corresponding reduction of 86 posts in the two Auxiliary Police Battalions. Meanwhile the Cabinet also approved promotion of Muhammad Hussain Malik, Deputy Commissioner, Ramban to the Super Time Scale of KAS (Rs 37,400-67,000 +GP of Rs. 10,000) w.e.f. 05.06.2014. It also approved promotion of Ravi Kant, Secretary in the J&K Water Resources Regularity Authority to the Selection Grade of KAS from 03.10.2008 to 18.10.2011 and to the Special Scale of KAS from 18.10.2011.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 04:15:10 +0000
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