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Not an inch of farmers’ land acquired by outsider in J&K: LG Sinha
While inaugurating an apple festival at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said no outside person can acquire land of any farmer in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said not an inch of farmers’ land has been acquired by any outsider in Jammu and Kashmir, and added that attempts were being made to spread confusion in the UT.
While inaugurating an apple festival at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, Sinha said no outside person can acquire land of any farmer in J&K. “There is a law that agricultural land can’t be acquired by any person except a farmer,” he added.
The Centre had in October last year amended major land laws and notified rules allowing outsiders to buy non-agricultural land in J&K.
The J&K Land Revenue Act would not allow any land used for agriculture purposes to be used for any non-agricultural purposes “except with the permission of the district collector”.
Last week, the J&K administration, however, had authorised the district collectors to transfer agricultural land to a non-agriculturists for extending the primary activity on a larger commercial scale.
On Monday, Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had alleged that the “efforts to seize resources and alter demography continued in J&K”.
Sinha said that the J&K government is legally bound to protect the agricultural land.
‘Those who suffered losses due to recent snowfall will get aid’
The farmers who suffered losses in the recent snowfall will be provided assistance, Sinha said, adding that the snowfall has been declared as a natural calamity.
“The assessment of the loss is going on. The farmers will be provided all possible assistance,” he added.
The early snowfall in Kashmir on October 22 and 23 had put thousands of farmers in misery as the snow damaged fruit-laden apple orchards particularly in the Pir Panjal region of Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir.
Sinha said as the agriculture and allied sectors were contributing to J&K’s economy, they were working to increase the contribution of the apple sector by 10% in the next three years.
“We have initiated many plans. I understand that if J&K has to move ahead on the path of development, its important source is agriculture and allied sectors, particularly horticulture,” he said, adding that all assistance will be provided for the development of the horticulture sector. Kashmir is India’s largest apple grower with an average annual production of nearly 2,200 metric tonnes. The apple industry fetches revenue of nearly ₹1,300 crore.
The government had deputed requisite field staff in south Kashmir’s snowstorm affected apple orchards to assess the damage caused to trees and fruits and also asked them to furnish the report and recommendations.
