West Pakistan refugee families celebrate conferment of proprietary rights

Our Correspondent

Jammu, July 31
West Pakistan Displaced Persons on Wednesday celebrated the approval of Jammu and Kashmir administration to grant them proprietary rights on state land.
The administrative council, which met here under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s chairmanship on Tuesday accorded sanction to grant proprietary rights on state land in favour of West Pakistani displaced persons along with displaced persons of 1965.
“This shall significantly empower thousands of (refugee) families across Jammu region...the decision fulfills demand of all connected families, which have been requesting for ownership rights since the past so many decades,” an official spokesman said.
Post J&K Re-organization Act 2019, domicile rights have been conferred by the Centre to the West Pakistan Displaced Persons.
“Vesting of proprietary rights to West Pakistan displaced persons on state land would bring them at par with the displaced persons of Pakistan-Occupied J&K and their long pending demand will also be fulfilled,” the spokesman said.
The administrative council also approved conferment of proprietary rights upon displaced persons of 1965 in respect of state land.
The government has always remained committed to provide benefits to the displaced persons of 1965 as has been granted to displaced persons of 1947 and 1971, the spokesman said.
He said the revenue department shall ensure that proper safeguards are built in the operational guidelines to prevent any misuse particularly unauthorized encroachments on the state land.
Pakistan Refugees Action Committee president Laba Ram Gandhi thanked the Lt Governor for the decision and said the news has brought smiles on the faces of the community living in different parts of Jammu for the past over seven decades.
“We are very happy about the development. The land was already with us, some of which was given by the government for our settlement or earned by our people through hardwork. Some two years back, the land was taken away from us and included in state land,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi, who led a celebratory rally at Maharaja Hari Singh Park, said the decision of the Lt Governor administration came as a big relief to the community which was left disappointed and approached the government for redressal of their grievances.
“With granting of proprietary rights over land, we are now the true citizens of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding as per the official records, there were 5,764 families who migrated from West Pakistan into India and settled in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
Gandhi said over 46,000 kanals of state land was given to the displaced community, which had always felt discriminated against before the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
“Before 2019, we were only eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections and had no say in Assembly or local body elections. The time has changed and we have got our genuine rights. We can now vote in panchayat and Assembly polls and even put up our candidates,” he said.(With PTI inputs)

Nod to construction of 6,000 transit accommodations

The Administrative Council also approved construction of 6,000 transit accommodations in Kashmir Valley for government employees engaged under the Prime Minister Development Package-2015 and taking up allied works at various locations of transit accommodations in Kashmir Valley.
The decision is aimed at creating some allied infrastructure facilities for the transit accommodations, which shall facilitate early allotment of quarters to the employees.
As per an official statement, the decision will enable early completion of construction of targeted accommodation for migrant employees by providing additional funds for construction purposes.
Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction will ensure that allied works related to security arrangements like watch tower, installation of CCTV cameras are taken up to ensure security of the inhabitants.