Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has announced an increase in compensation to victims of ceasefire violations in J&K from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh, while considering proposal to procure land for permanent shelters.
During his tour to border district of Rajouri in the Pir Panchal valley, Mr. Singh said, “Pakistan will have to stop these (ceasefire) violations sooner or later.”
The Minister said an expert group will study problems faced by the people living in border areas, which have witnessed over 400 violations in recent years.
Mr. Singh reviewed the status of migrants displaced by ceasefire violations in Rajouri’s Nowshera this year.
“The local administration proposed 1030 kanal State land for alternative shelters,” District Collector, Rajouri, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.
The demand to include crop losses under the Prime Minister Fasal Bhima Yojana was also put forth before the Union minister.
‘ For equitable development of regions’
Meanwhile, Mr. Singh, who concluded his four-day J&K tour on Tuesday, said the Centre was for equitable development of all three regions of J&K.
“Around 6000 transit accommodations will be constructed in Kashmir valley for (Pandit) migrants. Around 3,000 jobs will be provided to them as ₹1080 crore has already been sanctioned,” he said.
Centre adopting reconciliatory approach: PDP
A day after Union Home minister ‘defended’ special status of J&K, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the BJP at the Centre and national opposition parties have “acknowledged the importance of the reconciliatory approach and inclusiveness to get J&K out of turbulence and mistrust”.
PDP senior vice-president Mohammad Sartaj Madni said all parties have realised how important it is to review cooperative diplomacy for regional peace and mutual understanding.
He said the latest assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister in this regard were “very much encouraging”.
Meeting with NC team
A 25-member NC delegation met Mr. Singh in Jammu on Tuesday and suggested that “regional autonomy to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is a way forward to satiate aspirations of the people in three distinct regions of the State.”
“Autonomous administrative structures for sub-regions on the pattern of Ladakh Hill Development Councils can defeat nefarious designs of the forces who want trifurcation of J&K,” NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana said.
He expressed satisfaction over assurance of the Union Home Minister on Article 35A. “The Attorney General of India must be asked to submit a forceful counter in the apex court to safeguard Article 35A, which is endorsement of the law enacted by Maharja Hari Singh Ji 90 years ago,” he said.
