Srinagar, Oct 10: The successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir have miserably failed to safeguard the state’s prized properties worth hundreds of crores outside including the multimillion assets in metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Kolkata.
Right from 50’s, the assets of the state were either leased out at peanuts by successive regimes or little effort was made to retrieve these properties from illegal occupation. Details furnished by the government in the Legislative Council on Wednesday narrate the tale of callous approach of the authorities towards safeguarding the state’s interests.

PROPERTIES IN DELHI
The land measuring 96 kanals known as Kashmir House at Rajaji Marg is under the occupation of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) right from 1946.  It was initially leased out to the ministry for five years by virtue of an agreement signed by the then Trade Commissioner, J&K and the Government of India. Although the lease expired in 1951, the property was never vacated by the Centre. The state is getting a meager annual rent of Rs 97, 942 for the property which, otherwise, could have fetched crores of rupees annually as rent.
Originally, 114 kanals and 11.2 malras of land are located at Rajaji Marg with only 17 kanals under the possession of the State. Apart from 96 kanals under MOD, one kanal and 11.2 marlas of land are under Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
There seems little hope of getting the property back as Ministry of Defence has not given any time bound assurance regarding the vacation of the Kashmir House at Rajaji Marg.

PROPERTIES IN HARYANA
The land measuring 1251 kanals and 4 marlas was initially leased out to M/S Bajwa Brothers for 5 years with effect from 1957 to 1962 at Sirsa Haryana. The land was surreptitiously transferred in favour of Mirpur Co-operative Society by an order dated 02.04.1986 passed by the Assistant Collector 1st Class Sirsa.
After 26 years, Jammu and Kashmir is now saying that a writ petition is being filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court for restoration of the land to the state.

PROPERTIES AT AMRITSAR
It is stated that 32 kanals 9 marlas of land owned by Government of J&K is under illegal possession of family members of original lessees, at Daim Ganj, Gapai Road, Amritsar Punjab.
In its reply, the State Government claims that three legal suits for taking possession of the land were filed of which two suits pertaining to 9 kanals and 12 malras and 20 kanals and one malra of land have been decreed in favour J&K Government.

PROPERTIES AT KOLKATA
At Salt Lake Kolkata, Jammu and Kashmir Government has forfeited the right of possession over the prized land leased out to it by West Bengal Government thrice in the past five years.
The WB Government vide Order NO: 262-SL/MO/AL-MD/34-84/87, dated 16-11-1988, allotted, on lease, two plots, measuring 4 kanals and 2.5 kanals of land to the state government for establishment of Cold Storage and construction of Kissan Bhawan respectively in the Salt Lake locality of Kolkata. The possession of the two plots of land was taken over by the state government on 22.02.2005 and 19.01.2006.
However, the right of possession of the said plots was forfeited in February 2008 and January 2009, respectively, as the necessary process of establishment of the facilities had not commenced by then. In order to secure the possession rights again the Minister-in-charge of Horticulture department, during his visit to Kolkata, requested the Minister for Agriculture Marketing and Disaster Management and the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, West Bengal Government, for suitable extension in the duration of possession. In response, the West Bengal Government conceded the State Government's request by renewing the rights of possession over the two plots for one year. The State Government managed to secure another extension in possession right, albeit for three months. But before the work could be started on the above sites, the timeline expired yet again. The West Bengal Government agreed to allow another extension in the timeline till April 2012. But, ironically, construction work on the said plots has not started yet.

PROPERTIES AT CHANDIGARH
The Government of J&K owns property measuring 812.6 Sq Yards (l kanal 6.8 marlas) known as SCO No. 28-31, Sector: 17A, Commercial Complex Chandigarh.
At present, the Labour Bureau pays the rent of Rs 1, 35,340 for the building which is very less compared to market value.
“The matter for vacation of the building has been taken up with the Ministry of Labour Government of India,” the state Government said in its reply in the upper house.

PROPERTIES AT MUMBAI
At Mumbai, land measuring 5,802 SquareYards at Napean Sea Road, is on lease with M/s Sanghvi Construction Company, Mumbai for 90 years with effect from 1 June 1991. The land has been leased out at a meager rate compared to market value, sources said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST