Now Reading: Centre appoints panel to study demographic changes in Jammu
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Centre appoints panel to study demographic changes in Jammu
The Indian government has formed a high-level committee, led by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, to investigate demographic changes in Jammu due to illegal immigration. The panel, which includes former Census Commissioner…
The Story in Brief
The Indian government has formed a high-level committee, led by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar, to investigate demographic changes in Jammu due to illegal immigration. The panel, which includes former Census Commissioner Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava, and economist Shamika Ravi, began its field consultations in Jammu on August 10. The committee will interact with political parties, community groups, and civil society, and is tasked with submitting its report within a year.
The committee's visit comes over a year after Prime Minister Modi announced a demography mission. During its three-day visit, the panel met with Jammu's Chief Secretary and Director General of Police. The committee will study migration patterns, land use, and security issues, with a focus on settlements of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants. Government data shows over 13,700 foreigners from these groups are settled in Jammu and Samba districts.
The Indian Opinion
The appointment of a high-level committee to study demographic changes in Jammu is a welcome step, but it must be careful not to stoke communal tensions. The region has a history of violence, and any discussion of immigration must be handled sensitively. The panel's focus on data and ground-level inputs is good, but it needs to ensure that its recommendations are based on facts, not fear. The real test will be whether the committee can propose solutions that address legitimate concerns about security and resources without demonising any community.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, greaterkashmir.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
