‘Finalise Rs 30 Lakh aid for West Pakistan refugees living in J&K’

A parliamentary panel has strongly recommended early finalisation of the one-time financial package of Rs 30 lakh to each family of West Pakistan refugees settled in Jammu and Kashmir.

The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs said it is of the view that even though West Pakistan refugees cannot be equated with Kashmiri Pandit migrants, they deserve immediate relief and rehabilitation for sustenance without delay. “The committee strongly recommends that the Central government should impress upon the state government for early finalisation of one-time financial package of settlement of West Pakistan refugees. One-time compensation of Rs 30 lakh may be provided within one year and there should not be any delay in the matter,” the panel said in its report.

The committee expressed its displeasure over the indifferent attitude of the J&K government to the problems of West Pakistan refugees, saying the state government has not furnished proposal to the Union home ministry to procure one-time financial package or compensation to West Pakistan refugees who are otherwise in dire need of immediate relief and rehabilitation for sustenance.

The committee noted that West Pakistan refugees are not given adequate assistance by the J&K government and hence they are forced to live in miserable conditions.