The State Home department headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday informed the lower house of the State Assembly over 1,800 orphans of killed militants have been receiving scholarships without any discrimination from the State Government.
In the written reply the Minister-in charge Home department informed the legislators that 1,513 orphans of killed militants received scholarships in Kashmir valley up to March 2016 while 297 orphans received these scholarships across Jammu region during the same period.
Each orphan is entitled to receive monthly scholarship of Rs750 up to 18 years of age.
The State Government spent 1.28 crores on these scholarships up to March 2016 while a sum of Rs1.70 crores was spent on funding scholarships of 1,626 orphans in Kashmir valley and 271 orphans across Jammu region up to March 2015.
The highest number of beneficiaries are from Anantnag, Baramulla and Kupwara districts of Kashmir valley while hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar tops the list across Jammu region. Srinagar and Jammu districts account for minimum number of beneficiaries.
There are only 19 cases from Srinagar and zero from Jammu district, the Home Minister said. Three other districts of Samba, Udhampur and Kathua also have zero number of beneficiaries.
The Home department also informed the members of the lower house that a total number of 59 youth have joined militant ranks after July 8, 2016.
To encourage misguided youth/militants to join national mainstream and lead a normal life the state government had announced Rehabilitation policy under which a fixed deposit of 1.50 lakh, payment of monetary incentive for surrender weapons and stipend for a period of 3 years @ Rs2,000 per month from the date of surrender is given to them. Under the policy of 2004, 437 cases of surrendered militants were received from 2004 till date. 216 cases have been finalised and monthly incentive of Rs2.68 crores has been paid while 219 cases have been rejected, the Home Minister submitted in the form of written reply.
According to another reply tabled in the State Assembly, “a total number of 2632 FIR’s were registered during the recent unrest in Kashmir valley”. The highest number of 492 stone pelting cases were registered in Sopore, 339 in Srinagar, 318 in Baramulla, 271 in Anantnag and 218 in Kupwara. Only three cases pertaining to excessive use of force by the security forces were registered during the recent turmoil.
A total number of 463 persons were detained under Public Safety Act out of which 145 were released and presently 318 cases are under detention as on December 29, 2016.
According to the State Home Minister a total number of 16 cases of weapon snatching/looting have been registered in various police stations across Kashmir valley from March 2016 till December 31, 2016.
In these weapon snatching incidents a total number of 63 weapons including 19 AK -47 Rifles, 23 SlR rifles, 13 INSAS rifles, 1 TASER gun, 6 pistols and 1 Pika gun was looted. Ironically majority of these weapons have not been recovered and the local police authorities continue to investigate these cases.Of all these looted weapons only 1 INSAS rifle, 3 AK -47 Rifles and have been recovered by the police.