NEW DELHI: (TIA/AMN) In a bid to ensure peace in the disturbed Kashmir Valley, Centre on Saturday announced major initiative for the affected people in the state. Under the eight-point Kashmir formula to check unrest in Kashmir, the centre has decided to grant an ex-gratia of five lakh rupees to each family of those killed in disturbances in Kashmir since June 11. An amount of Rs 100 crore have also been announced for renovation of schools, colleges and other institutions and a task force will be appointed to study the infrastructure projects in the state. Centre is hopeful that new Kashmir formula would help in ending unrest in the valley. The unrest has claimed more than 100 lives since June 10.
The blueprint was announced by the Home Minister P Chidambarm after a meeting of the Cabinet committee on Security.
The home minister said that a Group of Interlocutors led by an eminent personality would be appointed soon. The group will hold a sustained dialogue with all sections of the state and review deployment of security forces in the Valley, especially in Srinagar. Unveiling a package of measures Chidambaram said the state Government has been advised to review the notification of areas as ‘Disturbed Areas’.
Under the formulae, the Centre has advised the Jammu and Kaskmir government to release students and youth who have been arrested or detained for stone pelting and similar violations of law during the unrest, and withdraw all charges against them. “The state government has also been advised to review all cases of detenus held under Public Safety Act and withdraw detention orders in appropriate cases”.
Chidambarm said the state government has been asked to immediately convene a meeting of the Unified Command. This is to review the deployment of the security forces in Kashmir valley, especially at Srinagar, with particular reference to de-scale bunkers and check points in the summer capital and other towns.
He said that the decisions were taken after it reviewed the situation in the Valley and considered the report of the recent visit of the all-party delegation to state.
Welcoming Centre’s Kashmir Formula,the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he will convene a meeting of the Unified Command this week and review deployment of Security forces in the State. He said that after examining the present security scenario he will try to reduce the footprint of security forces. He, however, said that re-deployment will be done in gradual steps.
PDP has also welcomed the centre’s initiative saying it is a good beginning. PDP spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar however said that more needs to be done to regain the trust of people. Congress Party spokesperson Manish Tiwari called it a holistic measure to engage with the political process in the state. BJP Spokesperson Prakash Javdekar, however, said that the solution arrived at was inadequate.