Sir,
This has reference to the article ‘J&K: A case of botched up Agrarian Reforms’ DE Nov 16,2020.
The author deserves kudos for highlighting an issue that had caused a heartburn to a vast section of the population of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. These reforms were deliberately initiated not only to appease another section but also to empower it at the cost of the land owners. With one stroke of pen, land owners overnight turned into paupers. Even no compensation was paid to them. A great injustice which never could be redeemed. Besides initiating these ‘land reforms’ the rulers of the erstwhile State have no worthwhile agrarian reforms to their credit. With the result, vast portions of agriculture land has either been converted into commercial complexes or orchards leaving thereby small tracts of land for agriculture purposes. With the result, the Jammu and Kashmir is totally dependent on other States for meeting the requirement of rice, pulses, wheat and other products. Not only that vast tracts of forests have been cleared for residential purpose causing in turn, great loss to flora and fauna. The writer has to the delight of readers also highlighted the contribution of Dogra rulers in initiating land reforms which have immensely benefitted the people of the erstwhile (now UT). Otherwise, no one had bothered to give credit to these rulers for these reforms during last several decades.
Veer Singh
Udhampur
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