20,000 West Pak refugee families deprived of 54 Central Schemes

Demand jobs in all Central Govt Deptts

DEEPAK KHAJURIA

JAMMU: After getting Identity Certificates as proof of residing in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947, around 20,000 West Pakistani Refugee families are now demanding inclusion for getting benefits of 54 Centrally Sponsored schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A list of total 19,960 families of West Pakistani Refugees has already been submitted to the Union Government.
The West Pakistani Refugee Action Committee has written a letter to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Ministry of Home Affairs and to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister that they should be included as beneficiaries of all Centrally-sponsored schemes.
It is worth mentioning that over 4,000 West Pakistani Refugees have got Identity Certificates and over 8,000 have applied.
Using this Identity Certificate, West Pakistani Refugee youths can now get jobs in paramilitary forces and Army, but they cannot apply for jobs in railways and other Central government departments.
Talking to The News Now, many refugee youths said that their unemployment issue has not been solved to their satisfaction as even after residing in the state for last 70 years they cannot get jobs in Central Government departments.
“We are facing two issues; one that our youth cannot apply for Central Government jobs and we are not entitled to get benefits of 54 schemes launched by PM Modi for citizens of India,” said Laba Ram Gandhi, chairman of West Pakistani Refugee Action Committee.
“When West Pak Refugees submitted forms for getting benefits of Centrally Sponsored Schemes like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padao’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (under which Indian Citizens are getting monetary help for construction of toilets, the concerned departments refused to give us the benefits,” Gandhi said.
“I have informed this to MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Shamsher Singh Manhas and have urged them to take up the issue,” he added.