JKSAC demands Rs 30 lacs ex-gratia relief to each DP family

Jammu:A meeting of DPs of 1947 from POK was held at Karan Bagh, Jammu under the banner of Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) wherein DPs of adjoining areas also participated in large numbers. The participant DPs with one voice sought the acceptance and implementation of Joint Parliamentary Committee’s on Home Affairs report No. 183, which recommended urgent payment of Rs 30 Lacs as ex-gratia relief to each DP family alongwith other components till the areas of POK under illegal occupation of Pakistan are vacated and values of their left-out properties are assessed.

While addressing the meeting Gurdev Singh, President alongwith G.S. Panchi and Janak Singh urged upon Sh. Manoj K. Sinha, Lt. Governor, UT of J&K to take cognizance of DPs legitimate final settlement on priority and stress upon the Central Govt. for the early acceptance and implementation of said report which ensures payment of Rs 30 Lacs as ex-gratia relief to each DP family alongwith reservations for their wards in govt. services, technical institutions till POK is liberated and the assessment of their loss of lives and properties are made. He said that at present the onus lies on both the MPs to take up DP’s settlement issues with the central govt. as who have given massive mandate by the DPs and are their representatives in the Lok Sabha. The DPs had lots of hopes that both the MPs will project their case with Hon’ble PM of India to seek the final resolution, but regretted that DPs hopes have been belied as they never show any concern towards the legitimate final settlement issues of DPs of 1947 from POK but instead they stress upon the Govt. for the early settlement of Kashmiri migrants, but. He said that during past seven decades despite of making enormous contribution in various spheres of state building, they have been totally neglected, alienated and today they feel dubbed by all the political parties of the erstwhile state now UT.

Appealing the DPs to strengthen the struggle to achieve their honorable and adequate settlement Gurdev Singh said that the DPs should prepare themselves for this noble cause by identifying and following the footsteps of their elders who champions the cause of DPs of 1947 after making tremendous sacrifices. He said that JKSAC is well seized of all the legitimate issue concerning the final settlement and are being raised forcefully at various forum of the govt. and struggling for their resolution. He expressed his hope and asked the DPs to focus their attention to get the implementation of parliamentary report and appealed them to come out unitedly to become the part of struggle to achieve dignified and adequate settlement.

He further strongly criticized the govt. for making frequent transfers of PRO which has stalled the whole process of disbursement thus causing unnecessary harassment to remaining thousands of DP beneficiaries. He asserted that the cases of more than 5000 DPs beneficiaries are yet to be processed but the frequent transfer of PROs are creating hurdles in the way to process the same from the last many months and the DPs are taking round of the PRO office without any results. He urged upon Sh. Manoj K Sharma, Hon’ble Lt. Governor to issue advisory to the concerned quarters to expedite the process of disbursement as the beneficiaries are in great confusion and are being cheated and misled by various agents for their personal benefits. He further urged upon the Lt. Governor to intervene in the matter personally and should stress upon the MHA to release the funds judiciously so that the awaiting beneficiaries may get the relief in time. Others who spoke were Bhai Mohan Singh (Preacher), Dwarka Nath, Makhan Singh and Rajesh Khajuria.