Srinagar, Mar 12: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday informed the Legislative Assembly that a decision is being considered regarding the construction of housing for employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Package for Kashmiri Mi-grants.
In response to concerns raised by MLA Kupwara, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, regarding the adequacy of accommodation for employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Package for Kashmiri Migrants, the Jammu and Kashmir government has clarified that there is no intention to reconsider or restore previous decisions about housing.
During the Legislative Assembly session, the Department of Disaster Management, Re-lief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRRR) informed that the construction of 6,000 one-bedroom flats (1-BHK) for migrant employees was approved under the Prime Min-ister’s Development Package (PMDP) 2015, with these flats being constructed at 20 dif-ferent locations.
Initially, the sanctioned cost for the project was set at Rs 920 crore, but this was later re-vised to Rs 1,325.84 crore. The government further explained that, upon the direction of the then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Syed, approval was granted for the construc-tion of two-bedroom flats (2-BHK) instead of one-bedroom units at two locations, Sheikhpora and Vessu.
The government also clarified that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, communicated that any additional costs incurred due to this change would be borne by the Union Territory government.
In response to a question about the possibility of reconsidering or restoring the original housing plan due to concerns of insufficiency, the government made it clear that no such proposal is under consideration at this point.
The development comes amid ongoing discussions around the adequacy of accommo-dation for the migrant employees who are part of the PM Package, a scheme designed to support the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants. However, the government’s firm stance underscores the commitment to the approved specifications and financial provi-sions for the housing project.
