Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration has started providing 150 square yard plots to landless families here for the construction of their houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY).
The LG said five marlas land (1,360 square feet) will be provided to each landless family.
“A few years ago the Prime Minister decided that every poor person should have a roof over their head. The main obstacle here was that there was no provision for giving land to landless families. We made a provision and approved it in the administrative council to provide land to landless construction of houses under the PMAY,” Sinha told reporters here.
“We have given plots to 2,711 landless families across Jammu and Kashmir. We will be providing land as per the list we have and hope to complete the existing backlog by March 2024,” he added.
Sinha said the move will transform the lives of the poor and landless people in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The rural development department has identified 1.83 lakh families who do not have their own houses. We are working on it. It is a step that will not only provide a house to them but transform their lives,” he said.
“With housing needs taken care of, these families will start thinking of earning a better livelihood and education for their children. This puts them on the path to development,” Sinha said.
The LG said the Union Territory administration is duty-bound to provide land to remaining landless families.
“In the last 3-4 years, we have had success in providing social justice to people. There is no contradiction in our interactions and actions,” he added.
Sinha refused to give any details of the beneficiaries under the new scheme saying “We do not discriminate on the basis of religion or region. We have provided land to those who were deserving as per the law.”
Asked about the government’s demolition drive for retrieval of state land earlier this year, Sinha said the administration has “not touched the poor people”.
“We have not touched the poor. There were some aberrations but those were also corrected. The poor should have the first right to government resources. The land will be given as per laws. Wherever a sympathetic view is needed, it will be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government in a statement said that the decision was taken by the Administrative Council on June 21, 2023.
“The present allotment restricted to only the left out cases out of permanent waiting list (PWL) 2018-19, which may later, at the time of launch of next phase of PMAY(G) scheme in 2024-25 be extended to the same categories of landless beneficiaries, who otherwise become eligible for getting housing assistance under PMAY(G) Phase-III,” the official statement said.
It said following categories of Awaas Plus beneficiaries will be considered by the Deputy Commissioner concerned for allotment of land under the J&K revenue laws: “People residing on State land; people residing on Forest land; people residing in Rakhs and Farms land where construction is not permitted; people sitting on Custodian land; and land allotted to displaced people by government near Dachigam park for agriculture purpose, where construction is not permitted.
“Any other category of cases who are otherwise eligible for housing but do not have any land available for construction” will also be considered.
“It is a historic day for Jammu Kashmir and a new beginning for thousands of landless families,” the LG said, adding that “this historic decision will prove to be a golden chapter in the administration’s effort for social justice, equality, respect, and equal opportunities to all citizens.”
“This path-breaking decision will not only entitle the landless poor to own a piece of land and have a house but it will also provide them means of livelihood, raise their living standards and realize their dreams and aspirations,” the LG said.
He said the poor section of the society is at the centre of government policies and a substantial population that was devoid of basic facilities and rights even after seven decades of Independence is being brought to the mainstream of development.
“Jammu & Kashmir government is committed to Inclusive development. This move will open up endless opportunities to the poor and downtrodden and with this landmark decision the administration is acknowledging their immense contribution in the task of nation building,” the LG observed.
Sharing background of the decision, the statement said that the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI has on May 30, 2023, allocated an additional target of 1,99,550 houses to UT of J&K for the FY 2023-24 for saturation of the Awaas + list (PWL 2018-19).
It has been desired by the Ministry to sanction these houses by June 30, 2023 and ensure completion by March 31, 2024, the statement said.
It said in order to complete the exercise expeditiously, block-level camps were organized across J&K from 4th to 10th June, 2023, for obtaining the requisite documents of households enlisted in AwaasPlus PWL — Aadhaar card, MGNREGA job card, ration card, revenue documents, phone number and a declaration that they have not constructed the house already and they are otherwise eligible under the guidelines of the scheme. These documents are needed to ensure registration and sanctioning of houses as per assigned targets on AwaasSoft portal, the statement said.
It said as on date 1,44,385 houses have been registered and 1,41,371 houses have been sanctioned to eligible households enlisted in Awaas + PWL against the aforementioned target.
During the field verification of beneficiaries in the aforesaid period of camps, it has been reported by the field functionaries that 2,711 households enlisted in Awaas + PWL are landless. There are many more, who could not otherwise submit their documents due to various reasons like seasonal migration. If the Government of India extends the timeline, this number is expected to go up by a couple of thousands. Else they will be considered in the next phase of the scheme, the statement said.
PMAY(G) guidelines of the Ministry of Rural Development provide for providing land of 25sqmt (Approx one marla) to the landless beneficiaries for construction of PMAY house. But in order to ensure sufficient land availability with them to support their basic living, it has been decided to allot five (05) marlas of land to landless and/or those occupying State/Forest or any other land, where construction is not permitted, the statement said. (With additional inputs from PTI)
