Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reiterated in the budget session of the assembly that his government remains committed to restoring the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Winding up the discussion on the Motion of Lieutenant Governor’s Address in the assembly, Abdullah said Article 370 was not specifically mentioned in the address as the provision still exists in the Constitution despite being “hollowed out”.
“I want to reiterate that the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and this government remain committed to the promises made during the elections, particularly the promise to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“We do not consider it necessary to explicitly mention Article 370 because it has not been removed from the Constitution. Had it been removed, I would have said it must be reinserted. It still exists. You hollowed it out and snatched away our constitutional status,” he said.
Some opposition members had criticised that Article 370 was not explicitly mentioned in the address.
Referring to a resolution passed in the assembly before, Abdullah said Article 370 continues to remain on the statute books and the House has already expressed its view that it should be restored.
“There is nothing more that needs to be said. Most of its substance was removed, but that part embedded in law still remains,” he added.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The government also divided Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
While talking about the allotment of land to families affected by natural calamities in 2025, CM said the government has approved the allotment of five ‘marlas’ of land on a 40-year lease basis.
Over 6,400 families hit by flash floods and landslides in Udhampur district have been provided financial assistance, he said.
In a written reply to a question by BJP member Balwant Singh Mankotia in the Assembly, the chief minister said the Council of Ministers took a decision, which was followed by a government order issued on January 2, approving the allotment of five marlas (1.60 acre) of state land to each landless family rendered homeless due to floods, landslides, cloudbursts and earthquakes in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the land would be provided on a lease basis for residential purposes without charging any premium.
“The beneficiaries will be required to pay an annual ground rent of Rs 10 per marla for a period of 40 years, which can be extended further as per rules after approval by the competent authority,” he said.
The chief minister said the allotment will be subject to the conditions laid down in the government order.
He said over 6,400 families affected by flash floods and landslides in Udhampur district have been provided financial assistance amounting to more than Rs 23.49 crore.
“A total of 6,449 affected families across Udhampur, Chenani, Ramnagar and Latti-Marothi tehsils were provided compensation as per prescribed norms,” he added.
He said 2,666 affected families in Udhampur tehsil were sanctioned Rs 9.32 crore, approximately while 1,208 families in Chenani tehsil received over Rs 5 crore.
In Ramnagar tehsil, 2,298 affected families were sanctioned Rs 7.8635 cr, and 277 families in Latti-Marothi tehsil were provided over Rs 1 crore as relief assistance.
The chief minister said damage assessment was conducted by field teams and eligible cases were verified as per State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms. He added that compensation was sanctioned and disbursed directly to the affected families through prescribed financial mechanisms.
He said the government has also taken steps for rehabilitation of families rendered landless due to natural calamities by providing state land for residential purposes on a lease basis under approved norms.
