* No action on Budget announcement about framing policy
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 25: Though the agricultural land is shrinking at fast pace in Jammu and Kashmir yet the legislations enacted to check this trend have been gathering dust in the official files because of complete non-seriousness on the part of all the concerned authorities. Moreover, no action has been taken till date to honour the Budget announcement regarding framing of a comprehensive policy to put a full stop on conversion of agricultural land for various other purposes.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that there is hardly any area in Jammu and Kashmir except Ladakh where agriculture land is not shrinking that too at a rapid pace mainly because of the failure of the Government to incentivize agriculture and motivate the farmers to cultivate land to earn a handsome income.
Because of no efforts on the part of Government to provide incentives to the farmers for encouraging them to focus more on agricultural activities the peasants are being easily lured by the builders to sell their lands and this is resulting into wanton constructions on highly productive lands, sources said while disclosing that agriculture land is not only shrinking at a rapid pace in semi-urban areas but also in remote corners of Jammu region and Kashmir valley.
The areas which were earlier hub of agricultural activities have turned into concrete jungles during the past some years as with the non-availability of land in the capital cities and major towns the builders have shifted focus on semi-urban areas for different types of buildings. Jammu Airport to R S Pura town stretch is one of the examples of fast shrinking agricultural land. Similarly, Budgam and Chadoora areas of Kashmir valley are the examples of large scale conversion of agricultural land for various other purposes.
“The wanton conversion is notwithstanding the fact that J&K Prohibition or Conversion of Agricultural Land for Non-Agricultural Purposes Act has sufficient provisions to arrest the trend of shrinking farm land”, sources said, adding “even Section 133-A of J&K Land Revenue Act empowers the Revenue Department authorities to keep check on conversion of agriculture land”.
They further said that whenever the issue of agriculture land conversion comes up for discussion in the Legislative Assembly the Government states that measures are being taken to reverse the trend but the fact remains that there is absolutely no focus on implementation of these laws in letter and spirit.
Last year, Chief Secretary had a meeting with the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts on this grave issue and after deliberations guidelines were issued for implementation of legislations enacted to prevent conversion of agriculture land for various other purposes. “However, still there is no compliance either to the legislations or the guidelines as a result of which conversion of agriculture land is going on at a rapid pace”, sources regretted, adding “what to talk of ensuring compliance the guidelines were not even put in the public domain by any of the Government agency as a result of which people remain unaware of the same”.
The non-serious approach towards the grave issue is also notwithstanding the fact that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, while delivering address at the convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-J) on April 18, 2016 had expressed serious concern over the trend of converting agricultural lands for non-agricultural purposes. “No law or punishment can work unless we incentivize agriculture and inspire the farmer to cultivate land to earn a handsome income”, she had mentioned in her address.
The Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu, while presenting Budget for the current financial year in the month of January this year had stated that conversion of agriculture land for various purposes was a huge concern for the Government. He had also announced that Government will bring a comprehensive policy and if need arises a legislation to prevent and effectively ban conversion of agriculture land, irrigated land and land under saffron, vegetables and paddy will be enacted by the Government.
However, the Government has failed to honour this announcement. “No step has been initiated to frame comprehensive policy till date”, sources in the Agriculture Production Department said.
“All this clearly indicates that the concern over the fast shrinking agriculture land has remained confined to the statements”, sources said, adding “if the prevailing situation is not checked immediately boosting agriculture production will remain a dream”.
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