Jammu, Oct 15: After about one and a half decade since the Jammu and Kashmir started the rehabilitation policy for the militancy victims, the state government has decided to conduct a fresh survey to ascertain the exact number of the widows and orphans added up by the unbridled violence over these years.
According to the sources, the fresh survey would help in implementing the new policy framed by the Omar Abdullah led administration with the help of Central Government. Sources said that deputy commissioners of all the districts in the state have been directed to initiate the survey and submit the report to the Social Welfare Department within three months.
Sources said that there is conflicting data about the people who died in the backdrop of militancy that erupted in Kashmir valley in the year 1989. While the government claims that there are 25000 widows and 6000 orphans, independent studies conducted by various valley based organizations claim that there are 32000 widows and 97000 orphan children.
“This survey will help us to know exact number of the people who died in the armed conflict and shape our rehabilitation policy in a better way. At the moment we have little information about the victims”, said a senior officer in the government.
Pertinently, the ‘Rehabilitation Policy’ for the militancy victims was adopted by Farooq Abdullah led government in 1996. Since then government has formulated its relief measures on the studies made by the Rehabilitation Council and National Foundation for Communal harmony for providing relief to the victim of militant violence.
Sources said that a committee has also been constituted under Director Health Services, for considering enhancement of compensation paid to the persons injured in the militancy-related incidents, whose number is in thousands.
“We plan to enhance the widow pension, start marriage grants and vocational courses for the victims and help those maimed in the violence to get jobs. It can only be successful when we have the data”, said an official.
At present the relief is mostly provided to widows and orphans at the rate of Rs 500 to Rs 750 per month. In 2009, the government provided nearly Rs. 1.48 crore for welfare of the widows and orphans.
The Rehabilitation Council was established to provide relief to militancy affected families under which assistance is provided to widows, orphans, handicapped persons, and old aged men and women of families affected by militancy. Its major emphasis is on the education and vocational training of the victims.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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