SRINAGAR: The Government of India on Wednesday outlined a range of welfare measures being extended to Kashmiri migrant families under the Security-Related Expenditure framework and the Prime Minister’s Development Package, including financial assistance, food support, employment, and housing.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that cash assistance is being provided to registered migrant families at the rate of Rs 3,250 per person per month, subject to a ceiling of Rs 13,000 per family.
Free ration is also being distributed to migrants, with Kashmiri migrant families receiving 9 kg of rice and 2 kg of atta per person per month, along with 1 kg of sugar per family. For Jammu-based migrants, the allocation includes 9 kg of atta and 2 kg of rice per person per month, and 1 kg of sugar per family.
The government is also maintaining and managing migrant residential camps and flats housing Kashmiri migrant families in Jammu.
On employment, the minister said 6,000 posts have been earmarked for Kashmiri migrant youth, of which appointment orders have been issued to 5,896 candidates, accounting for 98.26 per cent of the total.
Among other initiatives, the government has introduced online services for registration and issuance of documents such as domicile, Resident of Backward Area (RBA), Economically Weaker Section (EWS), income, and migrant certificates.
The minister said Aadhaar seeding and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanisms have been implemented to ensure transparent and real-time transfer of financial assistance to beneficiaries.
Outreach programmes and grievance redressal camps have also been organised across the country, along with socio-cultural initiatives aimed at promoting language, culture, health, and sports activities among migrant communities.
Additionally, migrant ration cards have been integrated into the National Food Security Act (NFSA) database through the Smart Public Distribution System portal.
The government has also approved the construction of 6,000 transit accommodation units at 20 locations across the Kashmir Valley for migrant employees working in various departments of the Jammu and Kashmir government. Of these, 4,112 units have been constructed and 3,257 have been allotted so far, the minister said.
