Revenue Deptt to spend `238450.24 lakhs this fiscal

Minister Bukhari lists measures for reforms, 'rejuvenation'

JAMMU: Calling Revenue Department as the backbone of the administration, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Ahmed Bukhari today said several innovative measures are underway for revitalizing the department by undertaking digitization of records, constitution of high level committee for Land Use Planning besides committee for evacuee property.
The Minister was replying to the discussion on Demand for Grants of Revenue, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department in the Legislative Assembly here today.
Welcoming the points raised by the legislators, the Minister said, inputs presented by people's representatives and their consideration, resolution by the government is part of the democratic process and aids in achieving progressive growth.
For facilitating settlement process and providing effective online platform for resolving grievances, the Minister informed the House that the Department is making all efforts for e-profiling the areas of 22 Districts, 67 Sub-divisions, 217 Territorial Tehsils, 558 Niabats and 1553 Patwar Halqas and 6959 Villages.
The Minister said the Government of India introduced the prestigious Rs 375 crore Digital Land Records Modernization Programme to bring uniformity in Land Record Management System across the country to modernize land Records, minimize disputes, enhance transparency and public delivery system.
He said on pilot basis, the district Jammu, Srinagar have been taken up in Phase-I; remaining districts will also be taken up subsequently.
Regarding the process for acquisition of land for Mega Projects of public importance, the Minister said the department has put in place a strong monitoring mechanism for time bound completion of the acquisition proceedings. He said focused attention is being paid in particular to various projects like Railways, National Highway, etc.
He informed the House that the progress is being monitored at the highest levels on regular intervals with fixed timelines for disposal of each case adding that this has paved the way for smooth execution of the works on ground.
The Minister said that during the current year entire stretch of the National Highway between Jammu and Udhampur has almost been made free from bottlenecks due to timely intervention of the administrative department. Besides, nearly 99 per cent of the land has been acquired and corridor made available between Srinagar and Qazigund to the executing agencies, he added.
He further said that the most critical issues regarding the portion of National Highway in Banihal area has also been resolved and almost 100 per cent land has been made available to the executing agency.
"Nearly 30,000 Kanals of proprietary/State land has been acquired/ transferred to various Government Departments/agencies for different public purposes during last one year," Bukhari said.
The Minister informed the house that a policy regarding change of the land use has been notified with a view to streamlining the procedure regarding change of land use, till a comprehensive Housing Policy is formulated.
Besides, for preparing a policy regarding optimal utilization of the land resources through appropriate land use, planning and management, a high level committee has been constituted to be followed by Statutory Land Use and Planning Board.
Further, the Minister informed that necessary instructions have been issued to all concerned departments and Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the indent for acquisition, transfer of land are made by the HOD concerned. He said that concerned have been directed to indicate the minimum requirement of land while placing indents for acquisition/transfer of land so as to ensure optimum utilization of State/proprietary land.
The Minister informed the House that a separate new department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction has been created. He said the department comprises of Emergency Relief Organization, Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation, Management of Kashmiri Migrants, issues pertaining to Displaced Persons, Management of issues pertaining to people affected due to firing on LOC and International Borders.
He also said that a State Level Interim Emergency Operation Center has been established in Srinagar in a pre fabricated structure at Humhama adding that similar steps are being initiated for establishment of State Level Emergency Operation Centres at Jammu for which land is being identified. All the Deputy Commissioners are also in process of identifying 5 kanals of land in each District for the establishment of District EOCs, he said.
"Rehabilitation and Re-settlement Policy has been framed for whole of the State with regard to disasters, natural calamities and commissioning of various projects," he said, adding "An amount of Rs 1200 crore has been sanctioned under PMDP-2015 for providing assistance to beneficiaries of the houses affected by September-2014 floods. So far, an amount of Rs 1024.07 crore has been released on this account."
Later, the House passed the grants of Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation, Hajj and Auqaf, for the year 2016-17, which were moved by the Minister, amounting to Rs 238450.24 lakhs with voice vote.
Earlier, several legislators took part in Discussion on Demands for Grants for Revenue, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction departments. They included Jewan Lal, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Javid Mustafa Mir, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Davinder Singh Rana, Hakeem Mohammad Yasin, Dileep Singh Parihar, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Rajiv Jasrotia, Deldan Namgiyal, Muhammad Amin Bhat, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Rajeesh Gupta, Raja Manzoor, Javid Ahmad Rana, Engineer Abdul Rashid, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Abdul Majid Padder and Abdul Majid Larmi.
The members, who moved the Cut Motions on the Grants, and withdrew the same after satisfactory reply by the Minister.