The Centre has decided to form a committee to explore financial and administrative support for the first proposed housing society in Srinagar registered by a group of migrant Kashmiri Pandits.
This decision follows a discussion in New Delhi between the Displaced Kashmiri Residents Housing Cooperative (DKRHC) delegation and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai.
The delegation included the chairman of the society Ashok Manvita, Secretary Satish Mahaldar, and member Kamal Choudhary.
They addressed concerns regarding alleged encroachments on migrant properties in Kashmir, as well as the government's policies on return and rehabilitation.
According to Mahaldar, Rai appreciated the DKRHC’s initiative and committed to forming a committee to provide financial support and land subsidies for the housing society. “He (Rai) mentioned that they will also coordinate with the J&K government to expedite land allocation,” Mahaldar told THE WEEK. “We are not seeking segregation but rather resettlement in Kashmir to live peacefully with the locals.”
He also highlighted discussions about encroachments and forced sales of migrant Kashmiri Pandit properties. “We were assured that action would be taken against any encroachments,” he said. “We were told there has been no evidence regarding forced property sales.”
The housing society will require 100 kanals (approximately 12.5 acres) of land.
The initiative is based on self-financing, expecting families to contribute modestly to the costs. The society, officially registered as The DKRHC includes 11 Kashmiri Pandit families and two Sikh families, all displaced since the militancy began in 1989.
This initiative represents a shift from past government-led rehabilitation models, which have faced criticism for proposing exclusive townships for the community. The focus now is on a private housing model for their settlement.
To tackle encroachments and forced sales of migrant properties, the government launched an online portal in 2021 to enable migrants to report issues easily. The central government plans to collaborate with J&K authorities to address these cases.
Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (2015) and the Reconstruction Plan (2008), the government has provided 5,724 jobs for Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley as of August 2024, with an additional 6,000 transit accommodations currently under construction for migrant employees.
Over 62,000 Kashmiri Pandits fled the Valley during the period of militancy, leaving behind their properties. The 1997 Migrant Immovable Property Act was enacted to protect their rights and a 2010 assembly report documented the killings of 219 Kashmiri Pandits, illustrating the numerous challenges faced by this community.
