Chief Secretary reviews process of Change of Land Use; Directs Revenue Deptt and Board of Revenue to propose suitable guidelines

JAMMU : The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today chaired a meeting to review the process of Change of Land Use especially from agricultural to non-agricultural activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Administrative Secretaries of departments of Housing & Urban Development, Revenue, and Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs participated in the meeting.

The Chief Secretary asked the Revenue Department and the Board of Revenue to comprehensively evaluate and review the existing process of Change of Land Use, in view of the changed legislative framework in the Union territory, after studying various models being followed by the most progressive states in the country.

It was directed that an upper ceiling on the quantum of agricultural land to be diverted to non-agricultural activities in individual cases should be duly assessed and prescribed in the guidelines in unambiguous terms to ensure holistic development without compromising on issues of environmental sustainability and food security.

The Revenue Department and Board of Revenue were asked to formulate detailed guidelines for Deputy Commissioners as per the latest provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, without any ambiguity and discretions by 25th December 2021.

The Department was also asked to hold wider discussions and consultations with all the stakeholders to develop a sustainable and people-friendly model of Change of Land Use to be followed in the Union territory and complete the exercise within one month.