New Delhi: In an attempt to allay fears amongst local people of Jammu & Kashmir of losing their land rights following abrogation of Article 370, the central government is planning to bring a bill in the Parliament to protect the land rights of the people.
Officials in the Home Ministry said once the bill is passed in the Parliament it will dispel the fear amongst the local people of losing their land rights.
The initiative was mooted after the people in J & K expressed their apprehension of losing their land right which they used to get under Article 370.
Officials said that the bill will be introduced in the Parliament as there is no legislature in the newly created union territory of J&K. No election has been held ever since the erstwhile state of J&K has been bifurcated into two union territories namely J&K and Ladakh.
Several other states in India give land rights to the indigenous people. For example, in Bodoland areas of Assam, land rights have been reserved for the Bodos. No non-Bodos are allowed to purchase land in the Bodoland area.
It may be mentioned here that the Union Home Ministry has earlier also reversed order on new domicile rules for Jammu and Kashmir after the amendment raised protests in the Valley.
An earlier order issued in March has reserved jobs for domicile residents only in Group D and non-entry gazetted government posts allowing people from other states to apply in other categories.
However, on April 3, a fresh order was issued saying the policy will apply to all posts in the government. Interestingly, the order defines domiciles as anyone who has resided for a period of 15 years in the UT of J&K or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th/12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K or who is registered as a migrant by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants).
Also read: Did abrogation of Article 370 open doors of development in Jammu and Kashmir?
