The central government is prioritizing bringing industries to Kashmir over rehabilitating migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

The Central government has been working to provide benefits to Kashmiri migrants and slowly bring them back to the valley.

The Central government has been working to provide benefits to Kashmiri migrants and slowly bring them back to the valley. Satish Mahalder, a Kashmiri Pandit and chief of Reconciliations, Return & Rehabilitation of Migrants, stated that "the Centre was walking the extra mile to woo investors but had no plan for Pandits living as migrants in different parts of the country," reported Telegraph India. “Under the new land laws, the J&K government is transferring 3,000 acres of land to the industries and commerce department to invite outside investors. But it is not providing even 300 acres of land for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit refugees who are living in exile for the past 31 years,” Mahaldar, who has been spearheading the campaign for the return of Pandits to the Valley, said. He made this statement in reference to the government's decision to allow outsiders to own land in Kashmir.

Around two lakh Pandits had migrated from the Valley at the peak of militancy in the early 90s. After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government announced several developmental measures, including the transfer of 3000 acres of land to the Industries and Commerce Department for investment purposes.

Under the Prime minister’s development package for the displaced migrants, construction of transit accommodation at six locations in the Valley has been approved by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. An official spokesman said 1,680 units would be constructed to accommodate the migrant Pandit employees. On Sept. 24, the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council had approved the re-allocation of nearly 2,000 posts for Kashmiri Pandits who want to settle in the Valley. Further, under PMDP-2015, the government had approved 3,000 additional State Government jobs for the Kashmiri migrants at Rs 1,080 crores.

As rehabilitation is a long drawn process, the allegations are not justified. It appears nnly a section of Kashmiri Pandits are complaining.