news details |
|
|
| State properties or Relationship building ventures of J&K politicians? | | Valued treasures leisurely leased out, J&K losing crores | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Jammu, July 31: Jammu and Kashmir Government has graciously gifted several kanals of land and other properties located in posh colonies and commercial centers of various parts of the country to the non-state subjects for peanuts.
If politically well-connected sources are to be believed, these valuable properties have mostly served as relationship building ventures and money minting machines for various politicians of Jammu and Kashmir. If revenue records available with Early Times are any indication, these properties have failed to serve the purpose for which they had been bought by Dogra rulers in the pre-1947 era and in certain cases by the respective Governments after the year 1953, maintain the sources.
Three properties at L.D. Ruparel Marg-Malabar Hill, Advent Building-Foreshore road and 25-Chinar World Trade Centre, all in Mumbai have been leased out without taking into account their commercial importance. L.D.Ruparel Marg-Malabar Hill, which was originally Maharaja Hari Singh's residence, has been leased out to Sanghvi Construction Company against a meager amount of Rs. 5 lakh per year in the year 1981.
After getting the lease, the said construction company demolished the existing structure and constructed a magnificent 24 floor multi-storied building. J&K preferred silence for nearly 21 years and when it woke up, it got a duplex flat measuring 700 Sq. Ft after signing a fresh agreement with the said construction company. The then State Government expressed satisfaction over the agreement and took over the flat.
Markets analysts maintain that commercial cost of the land at L.D.Ruparel Marg-Malabar Hill is several times higher than the amount which is being paid as premium by the said construction company to Jammu and Kashmir Government. Callousness of the State Government can be gauged from the fact that the construction company did not pay even a penny to it from the year 1981 to the year 2002.
State Government took up the issue with the said construction company aggressively and after arbitration got a duplex flat. State Government had acquired a flat in the Advent Building on the Foreshore road in the year 1961 for Rs. 75, 000. Presently, the cost of this property runs into several crores. Similarly, 25-Chinar World Trade Centre was purchased by the State Government for Rs. 5 lakh in the year 1977.
This flat is presently being used for office of Assistant Resident Commissioner (ARC). It also houses tourism promotion department alongwith Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC). Similarly, State land at Rajaji Marg in New Delhi is on lease to the Government of India. It presently houses military engineering wing of Union Ministry of Defence. A part of this land is also under the illegal occupation of some private persons who have constructed unauthorized residential quarters there.
Few months ago, office of Resident Commissioner, New Delhi had claimed to have got this land vacated. But the fact remains that the said action was stage-managed and aimed at appeasing certain higher-ups in the civil administration. A commercial building at in the commercially significant Sector-17 of Chandigarh was leased out to Union Ministry of Labour in the year 1987. The said Ministry has been paying Rs. 12.96 lakh annually.
The rent has not been revised even once despite the fact that agreement stipulates revision of rent after every five years. To add to the State Government's woes, the department has not even paid the agreed rent. Land measuring around 32.09 Kanals at Tapai road Amritsar has been converted into garbage dumping center by the locals. State officials have not for even once visited the spot to take stock of the situation.
A portion of the said land has already been grabbed by a local MLA of Punjab Assembly. The officials engaged by the State Government for the upkeep of this piece of land prefer grazing and miltching cows. The said Manager is in league with the land grabbers and has been waiting for an opportunity to sell the said land in lieu of handsome amount. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
