New Delhi: Members from the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) will soon visit the newly carved out union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to initiate a dialogue between the government and the people.
The NCM representatives are likely to meet religious leaders and start confidence building measures to ensure a return to normalcy.
A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the commission Wednesday.
“Minority commission’s representatives will visit Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu soon,” said Atif Rasheed, an NCM member.
The commission said it would finalise the date after consultation with the state government.
Also read: Modi govt began process to make Ladakh a Union Territory nearly a year ago
Schemes needed
According to a source, the move aims to begin a dialogue process with the people and to understand the kind of schemes that are required after the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A.
“The team will also find out what all schemes can be implemented there post Article 370 and 35A. The Ministry of Minority Affairs had forwarded a copy of The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and has stated that NCM Act, 1992 would be applicable to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh,” said a senior government official who didn’t wish to be named.
“They (the ministry) have requested to analyse and intimate to the ministry the benefits and other facilities that would flow to the minority communities of Jammu and Kashmir with the enforcement of NCM Act to Jammu and Kashmir. They have also asked whether any modification would be required in the NCM Act,” added the official.
The National Commission for Minorities Act — which deals with minority rights — did not apply to the undivided state of Jammu and Kashmir due to the provisions of Article 370. Several central schemes, too, didn’t apply to the region, including the Aadhaar programme and Ayushman Bharat, among others. Various education schemes had also been implemented in the region only partially.
“We will hold meetings, visit homes and inform people of all the facilities and law that will be applicable there. In case they have any queries that will also be answered,” said another government official.
According to reports, the Modi government had constituted a Group of Ministers to look into the issues concerning the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, which was bifurcated on 5 August. However, the government has denied that such a move was being planned.
Also read: Explained: This is what Modi govt has done to scrap Article 370, 35A in Jammu & Kashmir