Jammu, Jan 28 : J&K BJP Spokesperson Ankur Sharma on Tuesday pressed for grant of proprietary rights in favour of Local allottees of evacuee land.

Sharma welcomed LG Gov’s decision providing for conferment of proprietary rights of evacuee lands (custodian) in favour of Displaced Persons of 1947, 1965, 1971 and West Pakistani Refugees.

Addressing a presser here, the BJP leaders said, “The follow-up and second step of incorporating Local Allottees should be walked by the Omar Govt without any delay.”

The move he said will empower farmers, middle class, marginalised and disadvantaged sections of the society.

Local Allotees are largely Local Dogras of Jammu Province who have been allotted or given possession of evacuee lands under Cabinet Order 578-C, Govt Order LB-7 and Govt Order Reh 371 of 1971 read along with Second Schedule of Agrarian Reforms Act.

He demanded the implementation of an order dated 16.08.2024 in favour of Displaced persons and West Pakistani Refugees in a time-bound manner.

The total number of Evacuees properties mostly located in Jammu Province is 2,56,846 of which the Urban properties are 7161. The total market value of these properties runs into several thousands of Crores.

Sharma pressed for a grant of proper compensation in favour of Local allottees of those evacuee lands which have been acquired by the Governments for public purpose in the past.

Sharma said that under the current legal regime, nearly 80 percent of the total compensation should be paid to the allottees however, it is seen that the collectors in many cases especially in the case of local allottees do not transfer the compensation amount of acquired lands in favour of allottees.

The interests of allottees and legitimate occupants whose allotted lands have been acquired should be protected by paying them just compensation.

The Operating Expense Ratio (OER) incurred by the Custodian department is so high that it betrays common sense to justify its existence said Sharma.

Elaborating on OER, he said that the cost to operate Custodian Property in comparison to the income it generates is quite high and the department is like an ‘Overhead’ to the State Exchequer.

He said that Custodian’s continuous existence is costing an arm and a leg.

Sharma said while The J&K State Evacuee’s (Administration of Property) Act, defines Evacuees as persons belonging to four categories, almost entire evacuee property comes under its second category which defines evacuee as a person who crossed over to Pakistan in support of the creation of Pakistan.

75 Years post-independence having a department for protecting and managing properties of those who driven by Two Nation Theory stood for Pakistan and crossed over, betrays all common sense.

He made it clear that once PoJK is taken back from the illegal occupation of Pakistan, the issue of Hindu-Sikh evacuee property left back in PoJK could also be settled properly.

Sharma demanded that the Evacuee property Act should be repealed to the extent of doing away with the legal regime of Custodian to Custodian General and for the intervening period, a Relief Commissioner of the rank of Commissioner/Secretary to the Government who should not be less than a Senior IAS officer or Senior most JKAS Officer from the persecuted community only should be created to adjudicate issues related to conferment of ownership rights/earlier allotments.

UNI