Information to be tabled in Lok Sabha on March 29
Faizan Bukhari
SRINAGAR : Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought details of the people from outside the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir who have bought property in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
According to a communication vide No. 15012/03/2022-J&K dated March 16, 2022 of the Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, the Chief Secretary J&K has been asked to provide the details with respect to the number of people from outside J&K who have bought property in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 05, 2019.
The list of the areas of Jammu and Kashmir where the said properties have been bought has also been sought from J&K administration, sources informed Kashmir Despatch. The J&K government has been asked to furnish the details on priority to the Home Ministry as the same are to be submitted as part of the reply to a Lok Sabha Provisional Unstarred Question No. 10594 for answer on March 29, 2022 regarding “Purchase of Properties in J&K”.
Accordingly, all the Deputy Commissioners have been directed to get the comprehensive information from the concerned Tehsildars of the Revenue department within the shortest possible time, well placed sources told Kashmir Despatch.
The government has also been asked to henceforth furnish details including a soft copy of the inputs, material in MS Word format, copies of Orders/Rules/Guidelines which are referred to in the inputs/material, full form of abbreviation, if any, used in the input information.
An official in the Divisional administration (Kashmir) told Kashmir Despatch that the possibility of some positive information with regard to the purchase of property in Kashmir valley after the Article 370 abrogation seems remote but it looks certain that many people have already made such purchases in Jammu division.
“However, the actual position would be clear only after the concerned field officials submit the requisite information. Such information shall be authentic. So let’s wait a few more days to get a clearer picture,” the official told Kashmir Despatch wishing not to be named.
Till August last year, only two persons from outside J&K had purchased two properties in the UT since abrogation of Article 370.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre revoked the special status of J&K and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories. Earlier, only permanent residents as defined by the State Assembly were eligible to buy immovable property or apply for gazetted and non-gazetted posts in J&K.
