J&K land scheme: PDP smells plot to change demography

In a notification issued in March 2020, months after the Centre revoked J&K’s special status, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended several laws of the erstwhile state, including one where the the term “permanent residents” was replaced with “domiciles of UT of J&K.”

J&K land scheme, PDP, PDP on J&K land scheme, J&K demographic change, abbrogation of article 370, jammu and kashmir, indian express news

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti (Express File Photo)

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Questioning the “intentions” behind it, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday raised concerns over the land-for-landless scheme in J&K and said the administration needed to be more transparent about it, particularly the scheme’s eligibility criteria.

The scheme, announced by L-G Manoj Sinha in July, was approved by the UT revenue department, which also laid out the allotment rules, on Thursday. It offers five marlas of land to the landless PMAY (G) beneficiaries, with the eligibility restricted to domiciles of the Union Territory.

PDP’s chief spokesperson, Suhail Bukhari, said: “A pivotal question that requires addressing is the identity of these domiciles. The party has information suggesting that domicile certificates have been granted to numerous non-state subjects.”

In a notification issued in March 2020, months after the Centre revoked J&K’s special status, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended several laws of the erstwhile state, including one where the the term “permanent residents” was replaced with “domiciles of UT of J&K.”

“Under the guise of this scheme and other initiatives, there appears to be a plan to relocate individuals from outside the region,” Bukhari said.

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