J-K: Centre to increase travel allowance for cross-LoC travellers

In order to facilitate travel of Jammu and Kashmir residents across the LoC, the Centre is working on getting an on spot travel clearance for any child below five years without processing the papers separately.

In order to facilitate travel of Jammu and Kashmir residents across the LoC, the Centre is working on getting an on spot travel clearance for any child below five years without processing the papers separately.

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The proposal under consideration of the MHA suggests that travel document of the adult accompanying children from zero to five years would be considered valid for travel.

The government is also considering increasing the cash carried by passengers from across the LoC from Rs 15,000 to 50,000.

Both the proposals are being considered by the Centre to facilitate travel across the LoC which was part of the alliance agenda of the BJP-PDP government.

Over 27,000 people have travelled between two parts of Kashmir in cross-LoC bus Carvane Aman since 2005. The passengers cross the LoC on Monday every fortnight, while trade between the two divided parts of Kashmir is carried on for four days each week.

While 9,621 residents from Jammu and Kashmir have travelled to the Pakistan occupied area since start of cross-LoC bus service-17,820 residents from PoK have travelled to the state.

According to officials, the move first came up in the meeting between officials of MHA and government of Jammu and Kashmir in January.

"A decision to increase the travel allowance money was taken then as current Rs 15,000 was deemed as too little by everybody,'' said a government official.