The State government has started the process to identify refugees for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, said U.P. Minister Shrikant Sharma here on Monday.
“The notification for the CAA (by the Centre) has been issued and all District Magistrates in U.P. have been asked to collect data,” Mr. Sharma told PTI.
“In the first list, over 32,000 refugees have been identified in 21 districts of the State and the exercise is going on in the entire State as per information I have from the State Home Department,” he added.
There are 75 districts in the State.
When asked about the countries they belong to, Mr. Sharma said, “they are from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.”
The districts from where the first list has arrived included Sahranpur, Gorakhpur, Aligarh, Rampur, Pratapgarh, Pilibhit, Lucknow, Varnaasi, Bahraich, Lakhimpur, Rampur, Meeru and Agra.
Sources said Pilibhit has the maximum number of refugees. However, the exact number is yet to be disclosed by the State government.
‘Will update figures’
“The exercise is going on and as the data comes, we will update figures,” the Minister said.
An NGO, Nagrik Adhikar Manch, has also prepared a 116-page report, “Uttar Pradesh Mein Aaye Pakistan, Afghanistan Evam Bangladesh ke Sharnarthiyon ki Aapbeeti (Unke Utpeedan ki Kahani)” and sent it to the State and the Centre.
