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| Roshni Act implementation review on cards | | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Nov 27
There are strong indications that the rates fixed earlier in respect of conferring of ownership rights on the authorized lease holders and occupants of Nazool and other government lands, for last 50 to 60 years, under the Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (investing of ownership to occupants) Act, popularly known as Roshni Act, will be revised and brought down considerably, in order to address the deep concern and unrest among a large section of people adversely affected, as a result of exorbitant rates, varying from Rs 75 lakhs to Rs 1.5 crores per kanal, depending upon the location of the lands.
The rates to be charged from various occupants of the government lands under various categories were fixed by the Rate Determination Committees, setup under the Chairmanship Divisional Commissioner Jammu for the Jammu region and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir in respect of Kashmir division. Accordingly demand notices were issued to the occupants in Jammu by the Assistant Commissioner Nazool Jammu and in Kashmir by the Assistant Commissioner Nazool Srinagar.
While in implementation of the Act a large number of farmers have already been conferred ownership of the agricultural lands under their possession, after charging a nominal rate of Rs 100 per kanal, which according to the authorities is the cost of paper work required for the purpose and that in practice the farmers in the rural areas have been conferred proprietary rights free of any cost. This is considered to be a revolutionary step, coming over five decades after the first agrarian reform, undertaken by the first government of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, where under proprietary rights were given to the tillers on the lands being cultivated by them as tenants of the big landlords, without paying any compensation. Under the Act a ceiling was fixed beyond which no landlord could hold land and the land that became spare was transferred to the tillers.
However the present Act, which has been partially implemented may be a revolutionary one in respect of agricultural land with the farmers. But the same has led to deep resentment and unrest among a large number of occupants of government lands in the urban areas, where they have constructed residential as well as commercial buildings during last 60 to 80 years. Some very influential people who were the favourites of the Dogra rulers and who had rendered some valuable service to the state or the ruling dynasty were allotted lands on lease, against which they had paid the premium fixed then and are also paying ground rent regularly. Till last about three decades even the prime lands in the cities had hardly any value and Nazool as well as other government lands were allotted to various persons at nominal premium. With the price of prime lands having resin over 100 times, the state government intends to avail of this development to collect hundreds of crores of rupees by conferring proprietary rights on these lands to the occupants, who are already under possession of the same and where they have raised buildings. Many of those allotted big lands on lease about half a century or more ago, on which they have raised buildings, have in the due course of time become poor or come to the level of subsistence. They are not in a position to make the huge amount demanded from them and the only alternative left with them is to let the land along with the building raised on the same be confiscated by the government, with their coming on the street.
In view of some highly influential people, close to the ruling dispensation, including some legislators going to be adversely affected by the law, with exorbitant rates demanded from them and a strong pressure built by the aggrieved parties, who in Jammu have constituted a forum and in Kashmir a coordination committee to mobilize public opinion as well as opinion among the politicians including legislators, there are reports that the government is veering round to the proposal to revise the rates lowering the same considerably, bringing to the level affordable by all the concerned.
A deputation of FONL who had called on the Minister for Health and Medical Education Mangat Ram Sharma has assured them that a fresh Rate Determination Committee would be appointed and the matter would be reviewed. In view of assembly elections less than a year ahead, the ruling party can hardly afford to annoy such a large number of people. There are indications that the matter will be raised in the budget session of the state assembly and the government may agree to reduce the rates considerably.
In the meanwhile the opposition National Conference, who had originally passed the law, as the ruling party, in 2001, is opposing tooth and nail the amendment brought in the law by the present government and its implementation. Even the BSP has lately opposed the law. The BJP is also reported to have come out in support of the aggrieved parties. A large number of Congress leaders, including legislators are privately and in their personal capacity supporting the movement against the implementation of the law. |
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