Kashmiri Pandit Delegation Urges Relief Commissioner to Exempt Community from NAFSA Forms

Jammu, December 30, 2024: A high-level delegation of Kashmiri Pandit socio-political leaders met with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner for Migrants, Jammu & Kashmir, today to press for the exemption of the Kashmiri Pandit community from the newly implemented National Food Security Act (NFSA) forms, commonly known as NAFSA forms, and to address other pressing community concerns.

The delegation, led by prominent community leader Sh. M.K. Yogi, included Sunil Pandita, Vinod Pandita, Bharat Kachroo, Kuldeep Kashmiri, Rakesh Koul (Sarpanch), Ashok Kumar Koul, and numerous other representatives. They presented a memorandum highlighting the difficulties faced by the community in completing these forms and urging the commissioner to intervene.

Speakers emphasized that the existing mechanisms for tracking relief aid recipients are already efficient and that requiring additional documentation places an undue burden on a community that continues to face displacement and uncertainty.

Sh. M.K. Yogi, Sunil Pandita, Bharat Kachroo, Vinod Pandita, Kuldeep Kashmiri, and Rakesh Koul were among the key speakers who articulated the delegation’s concerns and presented their arguments for exemption from the NAFSA forms. Their detailed presentation underscored the community’s desire for a streamlined system that reduces administrative burdens without compromising the effective delivery of essential services.

The delegation’s meeting with the Relief Commissioner represents a significant step in the ongoing efforts to advocate for the needs of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The outcome of this meeting and the commissioner’s response to the memorandum remain to be seen, but the delegation’s unified voice underscores the importance of this issue for the community.