Sir,
Where abrogation of Article 370 is widely hailed for integration of J&K with union of India for peace and prosperity, there is apprehension of flow of population from other parts of the country to settle in this Union Territory of J&K. In this context both State Subject (Permanent Residence Certificate) and Domicile Certificates have lost their value for purchase of land. Contrary to this privilege and right, the Government now allows the citizens of the country to purchase non agriculture land i.e in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir. This poses a threat to the local population with comparative lower economic base against the citizens with greater economic strength of a richer community. This has been visible in other economic ventures where outsiders have already replaced the local players.
Recent law of the land has put a serious condition for the purchase of land by urban population to produce “Agriculture Certificate” in order to be eligible for purchase of even one Marla of land. This deprives the local original settler for centuries to be non eligible for purchasing land of 5 or 10 Marlas to build his house in rural areas where many colonies in agriculture land are coming up. Before this law was enforced, many individuals who were unable to meet the escalating prices in urban areas have shifted or shifting to rural areas purchasing 5 to 10 Marlas of land for construction of their houses.
The pressure of population in urban areas comprises the original settlers and those who migrated from rural areas in search of livelihood and Government service or other occupations has increased manifold. Their settlement in urban area where the cost of flat or house has become beyond the reach of common man has become impossible. Even the costs of such flats constructed by Jammu Development authority is also commercial based on profit making. Besides, the urban land is needed for many other utility services of the Government and as such it is squeezing for other purposes.
When we examine the process of population increase of urban areas, its growth rate is quite higher that poses a question mark to the Government to plan a massive housing sites which is not within the reach nor possible for the Government . In such a situation, the riders of the Government become ridiculous. Let us see when Jammu Development Authority advertises the sale of its flats, only selected number gets while the remaining 70 to 80 percent go empty handed. None in the Government ever thought of this huge deficit nor planned any strategy to overcome this situation. It is left to the people or private players. Their hands are now being tied with unreasonable conditions.
The class of people getting benefit is the rural population of other Districts of the Union Territory who own Agriculture land and are investing for future gains in Jammu rural areas. This is at the cost of Jammu urban population. Thus it is injustice with Urban Jammu and their coming generations. Here I recall Adam Smith’s (known as father of economics) laissez faire theory that leaves things to the society to manage for economic growth. The Government need not meddle in the affairs of such schemes where it cannot provide respite to the deprived section of the population. Hence the condition of Agriculture Certificate as prerequisite for purchase 5 or 10 Marlas of land in rural areas for construction of a house is withdrawn to open the way to Jammu Urban population.
H.C.Katoch (Retd. Director Planning)
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