Government Officials must take proactive steps to facilitate the return of Kashmiri Pandits: LG

SRINAGAR, JULY 17, 2021 : The government officials must take proactive steps to facilitate the return of Kashmiri Pandits community who were forced to flee their homes and now settled in various parts of the country. There are many families living in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and other parts of the country and abroad who are willing to return home or register themselves. Officials of the UT Government must roll out an extensive exercise to reach out to them through proper means of communication.

Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha made these remarks during a meeting he chaired to review the functioning of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R) Department here at Raj Bhavan.

First of all, we must ensure that the entire population of Kashmiri Migrants is registered with the J&K Government. “Many people yearn for their old lives and would like to return to their homeland. Some families are well settled elsewhere but may want to come here to pay obeisance to their motherland and get registered as Kashmiri migrants. Work on this with utmost sensitivity and sincerity”, observed the Lt Governor.

It is government’s responsibility to make sure this dream of thousands of people turns into reality with proactive approach of the administration, the Lt Governor told the officials.

The Lt Governor also told the officers to ensure that the benefits of Kashmiri migrants must reach all the communities which are falling under the said category.

Taking stock of the future deliverables of the department, the Lt Governor directed the officials to take effective measures for completion of works within committed timelines.

Delays in delivering public services and execution of development works won’t be accepted. Action will be taken against the officials responsible for the holding up of the works, said the Lt Governor.

Setting the agenda straight, the Lt Governor fixed the deadlines for the completion of transit accommodations for Kashmiri Migrant Employees across the valley.

While directing for preponing the targeted timeframe for completion of the ongoing construction works, the Lt Governor set November this year as new timeline for completion of Transit Accommodation at Ganderbal.

Directions were also passed for the completion of construction work at Shopian by March, 2022 and at Baramulla & Bandipora by November, 2022.

Timelines need to be adhered to for the completion of construction work of transit accommodations. Any official found responsible for delays shall be taken to task, maintained the Lt Governor.

Tenders for the upcoming works must be prepared in consultation with stakeholders for smooth and early execution of works, he added.

We need to double our efforts to ensure that the benefits under various components are being extended to all eligible beneficiaries, especially those who are being left out from the ambit of the welfare measures. At the same, it must be ensured that no in-eligible person shall be entitled to any of the benefits which is the rightful claim of someone else, the Lt Governor asked the officials.

He also passed clear cut directions for identifying unauthorized allocation of accommodations and taking strict measures to vacate the same.

While taking detailed assessment of the works done under Civic Action programme, the Lt Governor directed for proper fund utilization for quality output and instructed the concerned Chief Engineer to submit a comprehensive report chart on the work executed so far.  (PTK)