J&K govt allots 852 acres of land to non-locals under industrial policy

Srinagar: The government has allocated 852 acres of land to 213 non-local beneficiaries under the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2021-30, following the abrogation of Article 370.

The move aims to stimulate industrial growth and economic development in the Union Territory (UT), according to officials. Prior to this policy, land allotments were governed by the Industrial Policy 2016-26.

Of the total land allotted, the Jammu region received the largest share, with 801 acres distributed among 205 non-local individuals and organizations. The Kashmir division, on the other hand, received 51 acres, which were allocated to eight non-local beneficiaries.

In addition to the land allotments, J&K administration has received 8532 applications through its single window portal, proposing an investment of Rs 169282.22 crore. These applications, if approved, have potential to create over 606203 jobs across the Union Territory (UT). The proposed investments would require the allocation of 10083 acres of land by March 10, 2025.

Till August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated, the region’s special status restricted land ownership to permanent residents only.

However, in October 2020, the Union government revised land procurement laws for the UT, removing the “permanent resident” criteria under the J&K Development Act. This change has opened the door for external investors to acquire land and properties.

Most of the 205 non-local land recipients are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh.

While the government emphasizes that the land is allotted solely for industrial purposes, it asserts that all procedures outlined in the policy have been followed.

This industrial push is part of the government’s broader strategy to attract private investments and generate sustainable employment opportunities for local residents in Jammu and Kashmir.