It has taken 20 years for migrant Kashmiri pandits to agree to return to their homes in the militancy-torn valley. Thanks to an initiative by the J&K government, nearly 1,600 migrant families have given consent letters to the relief commissioner in Jammu, saying they want to return.

Apart from this, 14,000 unemployed youth have also said they want to serve here. This is the first time any minority community member has agreed to return home since the onset of militancy in the 90s. “The process of motivating migrants to return to valley started last year. But the Amarnath land agitation and elections delayed the process. Despite that, 1,600 families have given us consent letters saying they are ready to come back,” said Vinod Koul, relief and rehabilitation commissioner for migrants.

A total of 34,878 families are registered as migrants in Jammu and 21,684 families are registered outside J&K. Around 2,500 Muslim and 1,600 Sikh families are also registered as migrants in Jammu. Nearly 15,045 families are being paid the relief, comprising Rs4,000 per family and 9kg ration per person.

The return of migrants will be funded out of the Prime Minister’s financial package of Rs1,618 crore.  Under this package, any family willing to renovate or rebuild their homes will be given Rs7.5 lakh financial assistance. Besides this, the pandits will also get 6,000 government jobs.