New Delhi: As many as 1,678 Kashmiri Pandits have returned to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 for taking up jobs under the Prime Minister’s Development Package-2015, the government told parliament on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also said that as per information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, the land of 150 applicants has been restored.
“As per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, after abrogation of Article 370, a total of 1,678 migrants have returned to Kashmir for taking up the jobs under the Prime Minister’s Development Package-2015,” he said in a written reply to a question.
Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the central government on August 5, 2019. The state was also divided into two Union Territories.
The minister said the government has taken various measures to restore ancestral properties to migrant Hindus. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection & Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997, District Magistrates (DMs) of concerned Districts in Jammu and Kashmir are the legal custodians of the immovable properties of migrants, who take suo motto action on eviction proceedings in cases of encroachment.
He said the migrants can also request DMs in such cases. The DMs are further empowered to take all steps for the preservation and protection of such properties.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir has launched a portal on September 7, 2021 to address the grievances of Kashmiri migrants in this regard, he said. PTI

Press Trust of India