The Department of Evacuee Properties (DoEP) in Jammu and Kashmir, which was created to manage and protect the vast assets left behind by those who migrated to Pakistan during the Partition, today stands as one of the most neglected institutions in the Union Territory. Once envisioned as a custodian of immense land and building assets, the department is now in a state of administrative paralysis. Its properties, both residential and commercial, lie in shambles due to decades of official apathy, absence of a clear policy roadmap, and lack of adequate financial support from the government.
It is distressing that a department which holds some of the most valuable properties in prime locations across J&K has been reduced to a state of near irrelevance. The buildings under its management are dilapidated, unsafe, and in dire need of repairs. Many of its assets, especially in Srinagar and Jammu cities, have lost their original character because of prolonged neglect and absence of a systematic maintenance mechanism. In several instances, tenants and private parties have encroached upon the premises, taking advantage of the department’s weak enforcement and monitoring system.
Adding to the department’s woes is the rampant land grabbing by influential individuals and land mafia. Vast tracts of evacuee land—especially in districts like Budgam, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Jammu—have been either encroached upon or illegally occupied over the years. Despite numerous reports and even court directions, little has been done to retrieve these assets. The absence of a dedicated legal cell and the department’s dependency on the overburdened Revenue and Law Departments for legal recourse have left it defenceless against encroachments and fraudulent mutations.
What makes the situation more alarming is the lack of budgetary support for repair, renovation, and preservation of the department’s building assets. The revenue generated from leases, rents, and agricultural land holdings is barely enough to meet the department’s day-to-day expenses. There is no comprehensive plan for reinvestment or modernization. In a time when other government departments are moving towards digital record management and GIS-based land mapping, the Evacuee Properties Department continues to rely on outdated manual registers, many of which are incomplete or missing. This inefficiency not only weakens accountability but also makes the department vulnerable to corruption and manipulation.
The J&K government must urgently step in to rescue the department from its current state of decay. A full-fledged revamp is the need of the hour—one that begins with a comprehensive audit of all evacuee assets, both movable and immovable. The process should be transparent, time-bound, and technologically driven. Every inch of evacuee land must be digitized, demarcated, and mapped through satellite-based systems to prevent further encroachments. The government should also constitute a Special Task Force dedicated to retrieving illegally occupied evacuee properties, backed by legal and enforcement powers.
Equally important is the financial empowerment of the department. The J&K administration should create a dedicated Evacuee Property Development Fund to ensure periodic maintenance, renovation, and protection of its assets. The department should be allowed to engage in self-sustaining models such as leasing properties for commercial use under strict regulation, generating resources for upkeep and expansion. Additionally, partnerships with private firms for restoration of heritage properties can be explored under public-private participation models, without compromising ownership.
The government must also ensure a robust policy framework defining the department’s powers, accountability structure, and inter-departmental coordination mechanisms. Officers need to be held responsible for any negligence that leads to loss or misuse of evacuee property. Regular inspections, public disclosure of asset records, and independent auditing by a government agency like the Accountant General’s Office should be made mandatory.
It is high time the J&K government treats the Department of Evacuee Properties not as a forgotten administrative unit but as a vital custodian of public wealth and historical responsibility. The assets under its control are not mere properties—they are a part of the region’s shared heritage. Their decay and misuse reflect a collective administrative failure that must be corrected with urgency and sincerity.
A strong, well-funded, and professionally managed Department of Evacuee Properties can become a self-sustaining institution contributing significantly to the Union Territory’s revenue, urban planning, and heritage conservation. The government must act now—before more of these priceless assets are lost forever to neglect and encroachment.
Jammu and Kashmir cannot afford to let the legacy of evacuee properties fade into oblivion. The time to revamp, restore, and revive this crucial department is now.
