J&K Land Grant Rules, 2022

Context: The J&K government has notified the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Rules, 2022.

Highlight of J&K Land Grant Rules 2022

• It replaced the J&K Land Grants Rules-1960, which dealt with the special rules to grant government land on lease in erstwhile State of J&K.
  • It covered the guidelines for leasing government land in the former State of J&K.
  • Under it, prime places like Srinagar, Jammu, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam were made available for the construction of hotels, office buildings, and residential complexes.
• Duration of Lease: According to the new land laws, the leases of current land owners will not be extended in case of their lease expiry.
  • Lease period has been reduced to 40 years from 99 years.
  • Government has asked the outgoing lease holders to evict properties or else face evictions under the new rules.
• Eligibility: The rules open bidding to any person legally competent under Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
  • These rules deem a person or an entity in default of Government Revenue accrued to the government under the J&K Land Grant Act, 1960 or Government convicted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, shall not be eligible for participation in the auction.
• Utilisation of Lease Land: Diversified use of land on lease to education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, skill development and development of traditional art, craft, culture and languages.
  • For hydro-electric projects, stadiums, playgrounds, gymnasiums or other recreational purposes.
  • For self-employment or for housing purposes of ex-servicemen, war widows and the families of martyrs, one who has sacrificed his life in the line of duty.
  • Facilities for migrant workers, buildings and other construction workers.
• Monitoring: An empowered committee headed by Financial Commissioner Revenue and comprising officials from different departments would identify and designate land and the purpose for grant of the lease. Its Function are:
  • To recommend the period of grant of lease, which shall ordinarily be for 40 years.
  • To monitor every lease agreement entered into and the conditions thereof.
  • To recommend to the government for cancellation of any lease.
  • It would recommend to the government a list of land including its market value and the purpose for which land is to be granted on lease.

Significance of the New Rules

• Equality among Citizen: New rules have hundreds of properties open for fresh auction, where outsiders could also participate.
• Lieutenant Governor claimed that the land laws in J&K were regressive and were not framed keeping in view the interests of the common masses.
• Revenue for Government: There were properties worth Rs 100 crore, which were being leased for Rs 5 as payment. New rules are to bring J&K at par with the rest of the country.

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