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J&K Allots Land to Disaster-Hit Families on 40-Year Lease, Announces Relief

The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a policy to allot five marlas of state land to landless families who lost their homes to natural calamities like floods and landslides. The land will be provided on a 40-year lease for residential use at an annual rent of just Rs 10 per marla. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also detailed that over 6,400 affected families in Udhampur district have already received financial assistance exceeding Rs 23 crore. The announcement comes ahead of the state budget, which is highly anticipated by thousands of daily-rated PHE workers seeking regularization.

Key Points: J&K Allots Land to Families Hit by Natural Calamities

  • Land for disaster-affected families
  • 40-year lease at Rs 10/marla/year
  • Over 6,400 families already compensated
  • Budget speech awaited by PHE workers
2 min read

J&K govt to allot five marlas of land to families affected by natural calamities: Omar Abdullah

J&K govt to allot 5 marlas of land to landless families affected by floods, landslides & earthquakes on a 40-year lease with nominal rent.

"the government has approved the allotment of five marlas of state land on a 40-year lease to landless families rendered homeless due to natural calamities - Omar Abdullah"

Jammu, Feb 5

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly that the government has approved the allotment of five marlas of state land on a 40-year lease to landless families rendered homeless due to natural calamities.

Replying in writing to a question by BJP member Balwant Singh Mankotia, the Chief Minister said the Council of Ministers had approved the decision, following which a government order was issued on January 2. Under the policy, landless families affected by floods, flash floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and earthquakes in Jammu and Kashmir will be eligible for the allotment.

The land will be provided exclusively for residential purposes on a lease basis without charging any premium. Beneficiaries will be required to pay an annual ground rent of Rs 10 per marla for a period of 40 years, extendable further as per rules after approval by the competent authority. The allotment will be subject to conditions laid down in the government order, Abdullah said.

The Chief Minister further informed the House that more than 6,400 families affected by flash floods and landslides in Udhampur district have already been provided financial assistance amounting to over Rs 23.49 crore.

"A total of 6,449 affected families across Udhampur, Chenani, Ramnagar, and Latti-Marothi tehsils were compensated as per prescribed norms," he said. Of these, 2,666 families in Udhampur tehsil were sanctioned approximately Rs 9.32 crore, while 1,208 families in Chenani tehsil received over Rs 5 crore.

In Ramnagar tehsil, 2,298 affected families were sanctioned Rs 7.86 crore, while 277 families in Latti-Marothi tehsil were provided relief assistance amounting to over Rs 1 crore, the Chief Minister added.

Abdullah said damage assessments were carried out by field teams and eligible cases were verified in accordance with State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms. Compensation was subsequently sanctioned and disbursed directly to beneficiaries through prescribed financial mechanisms.

He reiterated that the government has taken multiple steps to rehabilitate families rendered landless by natural calamities, including the allotment of state land for residential purposes under approved norms.

Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the budget in the Assembly on Friday. The budget is keenly awaited by over 61,000 daily-rated Public Health Engineering (PHE) workers, whose regularisation has remained pending for more than two decades. Many are expecting a positive announcement on the issue in the Chief Minister's budget speech.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
Good policy, but implementation is key. We've seen so many schemes announced for J&K where the benefits get stuck in red tape. The 40-year lease is a good start, but what happens after that? Families need permanent security.
A
Aman W
The financial assistance of over 23 crore rupees already distributed is a significant amount. It's positive to see specific data for each tehsil. However, alongside land, the government must also focus on building disaster-resilient homes in these vulnerable areas.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has visited the region, the terrain is challenging and natural disasters are frequent. A lease-based system seems practical. The real test will be if this helps people rebuild their lives with dignity. The budget announcement for PHE workers is also crucial.
V
Vikram M
Finally, some concrete action for disaster victims. Five marlas is a decent plot for a house. The annual rent is nominal, which is good. But sir, please also look at the long-pending issue of regularising the PHE workers. Their wait has been too long.
N
Nisha Z
A respectful criticism: While the aid and land allotment are welcome, this feels like a reactive measure. What about proactive disaster management and climate adaptation plans for Jammu and Kashmir? We need to prevent such loss of homes in the first place.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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