Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday conferred proprietary rights over evacuees’ land to the displaced persons of PoJK of 1947, 1965, 1971 and West Pakistan displaced persons.
The decision was taken by the Administrative Council which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
In a landmark decision, the Council approved the proposal for transfer of Evacuees’ land conferring proprietary rights to the displaced persons (DPs) of 1947, 1965, 1971 and West Pakistan Displaced Persons, an official spokesperson said.
He said this decision will confer absolute proprietary rights over Evacuees’ land to DPs as already conferred over state land.
As per the decision, the custodian concerned will transfer the land in favour of the DPs in a time-bound manner. Custodian General shall ensure proper safeguards to prevent any misuse, particularly unauthorized encroachments on the Evacuees’ land, the spokesperson said.
The government has issued directions for time-bound processing of applications giving proprietary rights to DPs over evacuee land in 30 days and the entire process is expected to be completed within six months, providing major relief to the displaced persons, he said.
“The decision fulfils demands of all connected families, which have been requesting for ownership rights for the past so many decades. The government has always remained committed to providing benefits to the DPs,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, the Administrative Council also approved transfer of land measuring 2292 kanals and 2 marlas for different departments.
These include 1212 Kanal 12 Marla situated at Tehsil Dinga Amb, District Kathua, 1070 Kanal situated in Tehsil Samba and Vijaypur, in district Samba in favour of Industries & Commerce Department for establishment of Industrial Estates in these districts.
Establishing Industrial Estate shall play an important role in the development of the area, creating various employment opportunities which shall be in the interest of the public and the government, the spokesman said.
The Administrative Council also approved transfer of land measuring two Kanal 14 Marla situated at Shuhama in District Ganderbal for construction of Police post and six Kanal 16 Marla and three Sirsai situated at Lar in District Ganderbal for construction of Police Station.
This shall ensure proper and secure accommodation for police personnel posted in these areas, to deal with the law & order and other public related issues as well, the spokesman added.
The government also approved cadre review of the JKAS with a view to strengthen the administrative set-up in the union territory, an official spokesperson said here.
The decision was taken by the Administrative Council.
The review will revise the strength and composition of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) in view of increased complexities and scale of operations as well as changes in work profiles due to new schemes and initiatives after specific recommendations from the Administrative departments, the spokesperson said.
The revised strength will accommodate 87 new posts, with deletion of 50 posts coupled with creation of 46 posts, he said.
The decision will also upgrade 29 posts to ensure adequate administrative experience and efficiency in disposal of government business, he said.
The review will also enable career progression as well as employment avenues for the youth by releasing vacancies for direct recruitment through concerned recruiting agencies, the spokesperson said.
He said the Administrative Council further issued directions that the restructuring of Jammu and Kashmir Police Service cadre may also be fast-tracked by the Home department.
The Administrative Council also approved creation of posts of different ranks (from Deputy Director Prosecution to class IV), totaling 83 posts, in the Prosecution Department to comply with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).
This would improve handling of matters related to prosecution in various courts as per revised framework as per different provisions of BNSS to strengthen the Criminal Justice System, for ensuring timely delivery of justice, the spokesperson said.
The Administrative Council also approved creation of 772 posts of different categories for Government Railway Police (GRP) J&K to strengthen the railway security apparatus between Katra-Banihal segment.
The recommendations for creation of 772 posts for Katra-Banihal segment have also been made by the Multi-Disciplinary Committee (MDC), composed of members from Railways, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and J&K Police.
The proposed posts span from post of superintendent of police till lower rung posts in the non-gazetted and class-IV cadre.
In another decision, the Administrative Council also approved creation of 30 posts of different categories in the office of State Election Commission, J&K.
The Commission was constituted in October, 2020 with the appointment of First State Election Commissioner. However, till date except for the post of State Election Commissioner, no post/staff have been created and Commission has been functioning with assistance of staff attached from various other departments.
It was considered necessary to create these posts to ensure smooth functioning of the State Election Commission, the spokesman said.
In a separate decision, the Council approved operational guidelines for JK Startup Policy which would give a fillip to enthuse start-up initiatives by youth of Jammu and Kashmir
The Administrative Council in its earlier meeting held on February 19 had approved the said policy.
The Council approved the operational guidelines which have elaborate provisions related to start-up recognition, access of seed funding-eligibility, process of filing application, short-listing and selection, disbursal of seed funds, funding guidelines, start-up awards for encouraging entrepreneurship, incubators and market access for growth of start-ups, networking and collaborations between start-ups.
Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) shall be the nodal agency for the policy implementation, the spokesperson said.
These operational guidelines will nurture and inspire the entrepreneurial talent of Jammu and Kashmir by creating a vibrant and robust start-up ecosystem. The policy is slated to recognise and facilitate well performing, potential and promising start-ups, the spokesman added.
AC approves Project YUVA; revised schemes of JKAACL for supporting local artists
The Administrative Council has approved Project YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan), a “groundbreaking initiative” aimed at accelerating employment opportunities through entrepreneurship across the Union Territory, an official press release informed Friday.
It said the initiative is part of the government’s “ongoing commitment to empower youth, women, and other vulnerable groups by fostering a dynamic ecosystem for creating entrepreneurship”.
The vision of the programme is to convert Jammu and Kashmir as a thriving hub of enterprises and holistic employment by fostering entrepreneurship culture, unlocking its inherent potential for transition towards sustainable economy, livelihood and empowered youth, the press release said.
It said to achieve this vision a four-pronged strategy has been formulated to enable enterprises and employment over the next five years which includes:
Creation of Nano-Entrepreneurs and Collectives: Targeting mass self-employment through small-scale businesses.
Creation of New MSMEs in Focus & Sunrise Sectors: Promoting growth in futuristic, sunrise and region specific focus sectors. sectors like renewable energy and pharmaceuticals.
Business Acceleration of Existing Enterprises: Supporting the expansion and growth of current MSMEs.
Creation of Neo-Innovative Enterprises: Encouraging startups and innovative MSMEs in emerging sectors.
The programme aims to develop an effective business ecosystem and enable enterprise through a comprehensive set of interventions anchored around the 4Cs: Culture (ecosystem creation), Capital (credit enablement), Capacity (skill development and handholding) and Connectivity (market linkages), the press release said.
It said the programme aims at “creating 1.37 lakh enterprises resulting in employment opportunities for 4.25 lakhs youths” of J&K in the next five years with a budgetary support of around Rs 1830 crores and influx of more than Rs 5,000 crores from banks and financial institutions.
This project shall be implemented in convergence with self-employment schemes of other departments to ensure better effectiveness by leveraging on the resources of other programmes and will also increase the efficiency and effectiveness of existing employment generation schemes.
This programme is in sync with the recent Union Budget (2024-25) announcements and the vision of the Prime Minister of creating employment opportunities for four crores youth of the nation, the press release said.
This programme is a “watershed initiative” for generating a sustainable economic model for generation of employment opportunities for the youth of J&K through entrepreneurship ecosystem. “With this initiative, the Government of J&K is set to transform the employment landscape in Jammu & Kashmir,” the press release said.
“In the long-term this programme is poised to have a transformative impact on the UT’s economy as ripple effects of this initiative will be felt across the region as new businesses generate wealth, improve living standards and contribute to the overall prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir. With this initiative, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir is not only addressing the immediate need for job creation but is also laying the foundation for a vibrant, dynamic and sustainable economy that will benefit generations to come,” the press release said.
The AC also approved the revised schemes of J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages (JKAACL).
It also approved revival of other existing schemes and introduction of new schemes designed to enrich the cultural fabric of Jammu & Kashmir. This would help in supporting the local artists and sustaining the cultural activities in J&K, an official press release informed.
It said among the revised schemes, the publication of ‘Sheeraza’ will now be expanded to include Shina, Balti and Bhadarwahi languages, in addition to the existing Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Pahari, Gojri and English.
UT-level writers’ camp will be organized in both the regions for broad based participation of writers and literary persons. The Academy’s own theatrical productions will be showcased not only within the Union Territory but also across India, bringing local stories to a national audience, an official release said.
In a move to safeguard Jammu & Kashmir’s intangible cultural heritage, traditional art forms such as Guri, Sugli, Daastan Goi, Pahari Baar, Gojri Baeth, Musadhe, Hafiz Nagma, etc. will be revived, it said.
The musical programs will now include performances of Sufiana and Indian Classical music, ensuring these genres continue to thrive. The revised schemes also emphasize intercultural exchanges and will support international visits by cultural troupes, enhancing the region’s global cultural presence.
New schemes introduced include the ‘Guru Shishya Parampara’ Scheme, aimed at revitalizing the mentor-disciple tradition across various art forms, and the documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage initiative, which will focus on systematically archiving the region’s oral traditions, performing arts, and traditional craftsmanship. Additionally, the creation of a modern Archival Studio will leverage digital technology to preserve and disseminate Jammu & Kashmir’s artistic and cultural expressions, the press release said.
It said the Administrative Council also approved the celebration of up to 50 anniversaries annually, honouring prominent figures from Jammu & Kashmir in the fields of art, culture, and languages.
To further recognize literary contributions, Best Book Award with a cash prize of Rs 1.00 lakh and Best Translation Award with a cash prize of Rs 75,000 will cover various languages spoken in Jammu & Kashmir.
The approval accorded by Administrative Council also has provision for supporting the authors in publication of their books by providing subsidy subject to the condition that monthly income of such author is less than Rs 1.00 lakh. The schemes also include revival of children’s music and painting competitions to promote the talent among young minds.
In a substantial boost to the welfare of the artistic community, Rs 50 lakhs has been allocated as seed money for the operationalization of the Artists and Writers’ Welfare Fund. Overall, the financial implications of these revisions and new initiatives amount to Rs 5.76 crores, demonstrating the government’s commitment to supporting and revitalizing the cultural realm in Jammu & Kashmir, the press release said.
It said this “comprehensive overhaul” of the JKAACL’s schemes marks a “pivotal moment in the cultural renaissance of Jammu & Kashmir”, ensuring that the region’s rich heritage is both preserved and dynamically advanced for future generations.
