Congress MP introduced bill in Rajya Sabha for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits
Highlight
- Congress lawmaker Vivek Tankha is the lone Kashmiri Pandit in the Rajya Sabha
- Tankha introduced a private member’s bill – ‘Kashmiri Pandit Bill 2022’
- The bill provides for social, political and economic rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.
Congress MLA Vivek Tankha, the lone Kashmiri Pandit in the Rajya Sabha, on Friday introduced a private member’s bill – the ‘Kashmiri Pandits (Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation) Bill 2022’ in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill provides for social, political and economic rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, protection of their property, restoration of their cultural heritage, ensuring their safety and security, provision for their rehabilitation and resettlement package and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The bill proposes to the central government to constitute an advisory committee of 21 representatives of the Kashmiri Pandit community, with at least three members from the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), at least one of whom would be a woman; Two representatives of non-Kashmiri Pandit minorities from the Kashmir Valley; and to provide that at least 25 per cent but not more than 50 per cent of the total membership of the Advisory Committee shall be women.
The Advisory Committee shall have such adequate powers as may be prescribed, so as to enable it to effectively represent the best interest of the Kashmiri Pandit community, as envisaged in the Integrated Declaration of the GKPD on Right to Return, Rehabilitation to the Prime Minister. called upon to emphasize. and reinstatement and advise the government accordingly, the draft Bill said.
The bill also states that the government, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall take necessary steps to establish an environment of economic justice, prosperity and security for Kashmiri Pandits and other religious minorities so as to explore opportunities for development and stability. . they return.
It also calls for suitable corpus fund for the purpose of grants to be given to 5,000 small or cottage industries owned by Kashmiri Pandits within one month from the date of commencement of this Act. The land and other capital expenditure required for such small or cottage industries will be provided by the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It seeks to waive off direct and indirect taxes for the first five years of establishment of any business, a single window facilitation service is set up and new businesses are granted all licenses and other approvals through this single window of application. Will be made available within a week. ,
In order to increase employment opportunities for migrant youth who are either already residing in Jammu and Kashmir or desirous of returning and resettling, the Government may provide 10,000 direct employment within three months from the date of commencement of this Act. will create opportunities. Only by migrant or domiciled Kashmiri Pandits, the draft bill said.
The Bill further seeks a cash relief of Rs 5,000 per person, subject to the limit of Rs 20,000 per family, to all Kashmiri Pandits, as may be prescribed, which will be subject to revision every three years.
The government will constitute a commission of inquiry within one month from the date of enactment of the Act to inquire into the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits and mass exodus from their homeland and the commission shall have judicial powers and the power to appoint judicial tribunals. said.
Read also | Kashmir Files to release without cuts in UAE, Singapore, director refutes ‘Islamophobia’ claim