Srinagar, Sep 13: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the state Government to facilitate the ‘rehabilitation and integration’ of former militants in Jammu and Kashmir, detailing out the steps needed to be taken in this direction.
The development comes in the wake of reports that several former militants have rejoined militant ranks.
The MHA communication to J&K Government, accessed by Greater Kashmir, outlines that the project has been targeted for rehabilitation of 1700 surrendered militants and their families during the initial phase of two years.
MHA has asked the state Government to handle the program with utmost care to avoid it being dubbed as exclusively for surrendered militants and instead project it as development intervention for violence affected.
“To avoid from being branded as a direct intervention for surrendered militants and attracting unnecessary attention, the state Government is directed to include 60 percent to 70 percent of targeted beneficiaries from pool of surrendered militants and 40 percent will be others from the communities of surrendered militants,” MHA document reads.
“Focus of the project is on improvement in individual household income, engagement of surrendered militants in useful and productive work besides meaningful engagement in positive community activities with a sense of belonging and reintegration into the community,” the document discloses. “We want to involve a broad range of stake holders in the integration process,” it says.
The entire rehabilitation and integration model has been divided into four components- help the target group realize needs, potential for self-reliance, support training placement and capacity building of the target group of persons for assimilation into the workforce and mainstream community, involve a range of stakeholders, mentors and partners from among the police, business, academics and community leaders, track progress, outcomes and successful elements for replication/scale-up.
The project is expected to take off after assessing the needs of surrendered militants, availability of job opportunities for them and mobilization of all potential stakeholders on a program committee platform.
To make the yesteryears’ militants ready for job market, they would be provided certified classroom based vocational and skills training in academic and occupational categories in flexible manner to suit their needs.
Training will be offered on the basis of educational qualifications and willingness to participate in the training duration as well as willingness of ex-militants to relocate for the job.
“The skill training camps will be conducted both in the Valley and outside. In the Valley, proposed training centers are Baramulla and Srinagar. However ex-militants can opt for training outside the Valley also,” the document states.
Ex-militants who have completed 12th standard and above will be provided a diploma course classroom training of 6 months and additional 6 months will be on-the-job training during which they will draw salary from the employers.
For those who have immediate job needs and have not completed 10th standard, they will go for only three months of classroom training and 3 months on-the-job training during which they will be paid salary.
“Opportunities will be provided for 2 years for persons who desire to move forward and acquire higher educational qualifications and skills. It will also depend on the age group to which an ex-militant belongs,” MHA document reads.
The MHA has stressed on the state Government to prefer places other than Muslim-dominated areas like Old Delhi, Hyderabad, Allahabad, Lucknow during their mandatory field visits to outside state to allow the participants get a “sneak of peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims in others parts of the country.”

Lastupdate on : Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 13 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST