Dr Narinder Singh for extension of PoJK package scheme

JAMMU, March 22: Dr. Narinder Singh, MLA RS Pura-Jammu South and BJP National Secretary, today asked to extend the last date of the package scheme for refugees in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Dr. Narinder Singh said that the Government of India sanctioned a relief package of Rs. 5.5 lakh per family for 36,384 Displaced Person Families (DPF) comprising of 26,319 families displaced in 1947 from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and 10,065 families displaced during 1965 and 1971 wars from Chhamb. He said that approximately four thousand families of 1947 PoJK refugees were excluded due to non-availability of mandatory records.

Dr. Singh said that relaxation in documentation was granted in respect of families displaced during 1965 and 1971. He was apprised that efforts/steps were taken to ensure that all the eligible PoJK DPs of 1947 may be covered under the ambit of the scheme, which includes the easing out of prescribed documents for establishing displaced status.

Dr. Narinder Singh pointed out that there was substantial delay to grant ease to the aggrieved refugees in the terms of mandatory documentation. He said that although they won the favour of a double bench in 2023, the decision to grant ease was only taken in March 2025.

He pointed out that this PoJK package scheme is due to close on 31 March, 2025 and stressed that it should be extended to impart the benefit of this order to the rightfully deserving population PoJK refugees and said that there will be no benefit of this order if the scheme is not extended beyond this due date.