Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control Sham Lal Chaudhary today said the government is working towards ensuring hassle-free distribution of relief package among the Displaced Persons from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).The Minister was speaking at an awareness programme organized at village Badyal Brahmana in Suchetgarh constituency. The objective of the programme was to inform the PoK refugees about the formalities required to get the first installment of the cash relief.During the programme, the people hailing from Badyal Brahmana and other adjoining villages raised certain issues regarding disbursement of relief package.While addressing the gathering, the Minister said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking one step after the other for the welfare of PoK refugees. This Rs 2000 crore relief package is just a beginning and it should not be viewed as full and final settlement, he added.He further said that sincere efforts would be made for getting more relief released from the Centre, until the Displaced Persons from PoK start leading a respectful life. The process of relief distribution would be simplified so that people don’t face any difficulty in getting their due right, he stressed.He also appealed them to come forward and take optimum benefit of state and centrally sponsored schemes including Pradhan Mantra Ujjwala Yojana, Laadli Beti, State Marriage Assistance Scheme and other financial assistance schemes.
Sympathetically acknowledging the sufferings and the hardships being faced by the DPs from PoK, MLA Jammu West Sat Sharma, in his address, said PM Narendra Modi feels the pain of the refugees and thus, making best possible efforts for raising their living standards.He assured them that the relief distribution process would be made as easy as it can be and warned them from falling prey to those who are spreading false rumors about the complex formalities required for the package or terming it to be final installment.Earlier, the Minster also convened a public grievance redress camp at Suchetgarh for listening to the demands and grievances of the people.The villagers from Flora, Baspur Bangla, Bera, Rangpur Maulana, Korotana Khurd, Chandiuchak, Abdullian, Mottan, Bidipur and other adjoining areas participated in the camp.The villagers apprised the Minister about the problems being faced by them related to power supply, water supply, road connectivity, education and healthcare. The people of Badyal Brahmana demanded construction of upgradation of government school in the area and construction of lanes & drains.The Minister said that the government is committed to provide all basic amenities to the people of the state at their doorsteps and special focus is being laid on the development of border areas. He assured them that their genuine demands would be fulfilled in a time bound manner.