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| PM offers flats, KPs seek jobs | | |
ET REPORTER
Jammu, July 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sought to reach out to the hearts of the Kashmiri Pandits by personally coming to the site to lay foundation stone for a satellite township for them, but the displaced community wants little more –reservation in jobs.
Utilising the occasion of a one-to-one with the Prime Minister, the displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits sought reservation in Jammu and Kashmir legislature and government jobs for the community as well as setting up of three townships in Kashmiri valley for their rehabilitation.
In a joint memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, organisations representing the community, which bore the brunt of militancy, said at least three such satellite townships should be set up in Kashmir immediately. A conglomerate of 16 organisations- in its two page memorandum demanded the reservation of three Assembly seats in the state legislature.
The Prime Minister had gone to Jagati near here to lay foundation stone of a township for Kashmiri Pandits. The township at Jagti in Nagrota is being constructed under the Prime Minister's Economic Package. Prime Minister had committed in November 2004 to provide the Pandit migrants better living facilities.
Speaking on the occasion, he said he was happy to notice that the state government had taken effective measures to provide facilities to Kashmiri migrants.
He noted that 1,000 houses were already nearing completion and today the foundation for 4,218 more flats was laid which would be completed in two years.
The prime minister said that the government was fully aware of the problems faced by the Kashmiri Pandits and had kept the promises made to them albeit with some delay.
Maintaining that dignified return of Kashmiri migrants was a priority of the government, he said that efforts were being made to create conducive atmosphere for their safe return to their homes.
He said about 200 houses had already been constructed at Budgam district for those families who wished to return to Kashmir.
"We wait for the day when none of them is forced to live outside the valley," he said, adding that till then the central government will provide all possible support to the state government for providing basic facilities like health, education and shelter to the migrants.
Manmohan Singh announced that relief provided to Kashmiri Pandit families would be enhanced, even as the state government was making efforts to launch a special recruitment drive to provide government jobs to them.
Meanwhile, in their memorandum the Pandits also demanded reservation in Central and state services including banks, public sector units ({PSUs), autonomous bodies and educational institutions for the community.
They also demanded that Kashmir Hindu Shrine Management bill be passed in the Assembly session to prevent encroachment of temples and their properties.
The memorandum alleged that government officials as well as political leaders were involved in such encroachment activities in the Valley.
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