Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a township for Kashmiri Pandit migrants in winter capital Jammu.
The township being constructed under the Prime Minister's Economic Package at the cost of Rs 221.45 crore, would comprise 4218 two-room flats in 176 blocks.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Singh said that he was "happy to notice that the state government had taken certain effective measures to provide facilities to Kashmiri migrants."
He said that already 1000 houses were near completion and the foundation of 4218 more flats was laid which would be completed within next two years.
Dr Singh said that the government was fully aware of the problems being faced by the Kashmiri Pundits and had kept "the promises made to them although there was some delay in actual translation of the assurances."
Maintaining that dignified return of Kashmiri migrants was priority of the government, the prime minister said that efforts were being made to create a conducive atmosphere for their safe return to their homes.
He said about 200-houses have already been constructed at Budgam district in Kashmir valley for those families who wished to return to Kashmir.
"We wait for the day when none of them was forced to live outside valley," he added.
Dr Singh said till then the Centre will provide all possible support to state government so as to provide basic facilities like health, education and shelter to the migrants."
He said relief being provided to Pundit families would also be enhanced while state government was making efforts to launch special recruitment drive to absorb them in government jobs.
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