The Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Council, under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has approved certain regulations which have been framed by the Union Territory’s Board of Revenue, paving the way for the conversion of agricultural land for non-agrarian purposes.
The new regulations were “necessitated after the legislative changes in the Land Revenue Act” after the reorganisation of the former state.
It has been done reportedly to regulate uncontrolled conversion of farmland for non-agrarian purposes, and also keeping developmental aspirations of the UT and its people.
As per the new rules, a District Collector will now have the power to grant permission for change in land use from agricultural to non-farming purposes, albeit in accordance with the procedure notified by the Board of Revenue.
The permission must be granted within 30 days of filing the application, with a provision of deemed approval if no decisions are taken.
“The powers have been delegated to the District Collector to grant permission for land up to 12-A standard acre against a fee of 5 per cent of the market value of the land notified under the Stamps Act. The regulations empower the applicant to start the non-agriculture use on the permitted land within one year from the date of the order issued by the District Collector in this regard. However, the land can be diverted and used only for the purpose specified in the permission,” an official statement read, according to news agency IANS.
