Srinagar, July 29: The Jammu and Kashmir government has shot off a letter to the Central government asking it to meet the “wage bill “of the 3000 Kashmiri migrants—appointed under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package— which the state was normally supposed to do. The government has cited “financial limitations.”
 “Yes I have written to the Central government to meet the wages of 3000 Kashmiri migrants keeping in view the prevailing financial situation of Jammu and Kashmir,” the Minister for Relief and Revenue, Raman Bhalla, told Greater Kashmir.
 Under the PM’s Package, 6,000 posts had been reserved in the state departments for the educated Kashmiri migrant youth. While the centre was to meet the expenses for 3000 youth, the state had to take care of the expenses of the remaining 3000.
 According to sources, the government has already finalized the appointment of 3000 Kashmiri migrants and the formal appointment orders to them would be issue soon. However, while the appointment orders are being finalized, the Minister Bhalla has shot of a letter to New Delhi seeking employment of the remaining 3000 migrants under the Prime Minister’s Package.
 “Principally the Centre government has agreed to meet the demand,” Bhalla said, adding the demand was made “keeping in view the ground situation in the state and the rising number of educated unemployed Kashmiri migrants.”
 Pertinently, the Prime Minister’s Employment Package has already generated a debate in Jammu, with Panun Kashmir (PK), an organization of Kashmiri Pandits, Tuesday appealing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah “to de-link the employment package from the return of KPs to the Valley.”
 When contacted, the Convener, Panun Kashmir, Dr Agnisheksher said, “Return of Kashmiri Pandits is a different issue. It has to be addressed independent of this package.”
 He said the state government had made the package as “an instrument of blackmailing and exploitation” of Kashmiri Pandits. “There are draconian terms and conditions in the package which say that the selected migrant has to sign an agreement that he will not seek transfer anytime and under no circumstances, he would opt to move from the place of postings. This is simply draconian. If no such bindings are imposed on other employees, why on those selected under this Package?” Dr Agnisheksher said. “This is just threatening and blackmailing the migrant community. This way you tend to make it (package) as an instrument of exploitation.”
 He said, “The posts should be attached with the migrant establishments in Jammu because when people of Kashmir are not safe and security forces are unable to restore peace, who would like to send his ward to Kashmir?”
 He said Panun Kashmir would ensure that the “draconian clauses” are removed from the Package and that posts are attached to the migrant establishments.
 A senior minister, however said, the demand by Panun Kashmir was unjustified. “It is not possible. This will defeat the very purpose of the Prime Minister’s package because when we talk about migrants, we don’t only talk of Panidts, but migrant Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus as well,” the minister, wishing anonymity, said.
 It is in place to mention that population of unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir, as per the official figures, is over four lakh.
 According to sources, Bhalla’s letter to New Delhi is likely to ignite the educated youth in the state who are yet to be employed. “If Bhalla can make such a demand for migrants, why not the unemployed educated youth across the state. These youth are awaiting jobs for years now,” they said.
 Meanwhile, Bhalla said the government would issue appointment orders to selected Kashmiri migrants soon after the “verification of their documents was over.” “Everything has been finalized. We are issuing the orders soon,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST