Home Ministry plans job package for Hindu refugees from Pakistan

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry is planning a package which includes private jobs for Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan who have migrated to India along with a fast-track process for Indian citizenship.

Decisions to this effect could be unveiled in form of a policy by the Home Ministry on December 23 when a meeting is scheduled with representative associations especially of minority communities from neighbouring countries to address their grievances related to grant of Long Term Visa ( LTV) and Indian Citizenship.

"A proposal for helping these minorities -- which comprise mainly Hindus and Sikhs -- to get private jobs in India so that they can sustain their families who have migrated with them from Pakistan fearing religious persecution. Powers will be delegated to junior foreign registration officials to extend and give long-term visas to such refugees and a time-bound process is being put in place for expeditious grant of Indian citizenship to them," a senior home ministry official told ET on Monday.

Additional Secretary (Foreigners) in the MHA will hold a meeting with representatives from nearly ten such associations on December 23, 2014 to discuss problems being faced by minority communities from neighbouring countries in grant of LTV and Citizenship. They will also be explained the procedure for grant of LTV and Indian Citizenship, the ministry says.

Upon directions from the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the MHA had set up of a Task Force under the Joint Secretary (Foreigners) to monitor and expedite processing of Citizenship and LTV applications, on September 05, 2014. The Task Force has since held interactive sessions in a number of cities across the country having concentrations of such people to monitor and expedite grant of Citizenship/LTV and addressed public grievances.

MHA had received representations from time to time citing hardships and difficulties in grant of LTV/Citizenship applicants, especially of minorities from neighbouring countries who are often of poor economic standing. Reviewing the procedure, the Union Home Minister had directed senior officials in the MHA to expedite the entire process.