Srinagar: Showkat Ahmad Mir on Friday described the proposed Land Grants Bill as a “game-changer” for Jammu and Kashmir, saying it would protect local rights, secure livelihoods and bring an end to uncertainty faced by thousands of families.
Addressing a gathering in Shakawari, Baramulla, the National Conference leader said the bill, introduced in the Assembly by the party’s chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, marks a decisive shift towards justice and economic security.
Mir said the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is undoing the effects of what he termed anti-people decisions of the past and is laying the foundation for a governance model centred on the interests of the people.
Calling the legislation a “long-overdue corrective step”, he said the bill would provide a clear and transparent legal framework, safeguard lawful occupants and prioritise local residents.
“For years, people lived under uncertainty. This bill replaces fear with security,” Mir said, adding that the issue affects people across Jammu and Kashmir, from Lakhanpur to Kupwara, and is not limited to tourist destinations such as Gulmarg.
He said the legislation would benefit thousands of families, traders and entrepreneurs who have built their lives and livelihoods on such land.
Targeting the People’s Democratic Party, Mir accused the party of “selective outrage” and said its opposition to the bill had exposed its “double speak”.
“By opposing a bill that protects locals, the PDP has once again exposed its political duplicity. The people deserve to know whose interests they are really defending,” he said.
Mir said the bill would prevent “wealth-driven land grabs” by outsiders and asserted that land in Jammu and Kashmir should remain reserved for its people.
He also welcomed the proposed provision requiring legislative approval for allocation of land to non-locals and described the proposal to provide five marlas of land to landless families as a significant step towards social justice.
