SRINAGAR, June 18: In a recent development today, Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta directed the state Government to hold inquire into reported bungling in Roshni Act.
During Question Hour, Revenue Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari, asserted that the Government was “serious in looking into the matter and reviewing the Roshni Act”.
BJP Kathua MLA, Rajiv Jasrotia had asked Government to reveal the, number of people and amount J&K State had acquired from beneficiaries of Roshni scheme.
However, the BJP MLA was not satisfied with the Government's response. “The written reply I have been given is not sufficient and is wrong,” Jasrotia told the House. “I don't understand why Government was not revealing the complete data, he added.”
“I too had asked some questions,” Speaker told the House. “I direct the Government to hold an immediate enquiry into the Roshni Act”.
Jasrotia was supported by majority of BJP MLAs besides, PDP's Sonwar lawmaker, Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Yawar Mir, who represent Rafiabad Assembly segment.
Jasrotia claimed that J&K Government has “only acquired Rs 75 crore from Roshni cases”.
“The cases which have been done by subsequent governments under Roshni should have added Rs 2500 Cr to the State kitty,” he said and added, “but what has happened needs to be investigated.”
Basharat Bukhari, in his written reply to MLA Jasrotia's question said that Government has regularized the unauthorized land of two serving Ministers, former Chief Minister, ex-Speaker and former MPs and legislators in Srinagar and Jammu divisions under the Roshni Act.
Bukhari said a total of over Rs 78.47 crore revenue has been generated on account of regularization of unauthorized land under the Roshni Act. He said unauthorized land of Minister for Finance at Gogjibagh Dr Haseeb A Drabu and Minister for Health, Bali Bhagat at Kishtwar had been regularized under the Act.
The Minister said that land of former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah was also regularized at Magarmal Bagh.
He said others whose unauthorized land has been regularized in the Valley are former Speaker Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik at Samunder Bagh, former MLC K.K. Amla at M.A. Road, MLA Irfan Ahmad Shah Magarmal Bagh and former MP Dr Mehboob Afzal Beig at Nursinghgrah, Srinagar.
“In Jammu, former MLA and present MLC Sham Lal Bhagat at Assar Lilote in Doda, Prem Sagar, former MLA Basohli and Moulvi Abdul Rashid, ex MLA at Banihal.
A total of over 52.21 crore revenue has been generated in the Kashmir valley while over Rs 24.25 crore in Jammu division”, Bukhari said.
However, the Minister said the revenue generated has not been bifurcated on the basis of authorized and unauthorized regularization of the State land.
“Most of the revenue generated in Srinagar and Jammu districts has been generated from regularization of authorized or leased state and Nazool land”, he said.
Bukhari said, the Empowered Committee has approved conferment of ownership rights for State land measuring 487 kanals and 11 marlas and 126 square feet. Out of this land 327 kanals and 12 marlas have been regularized or transferred under the Roshni Act within the Srinagar district.
In Jammu, State land measuring 16 825 kanals and 5 marlas comprising of 4040 cases of beneficiaries have been regularized in tehsil Jammu, including the area under the limits of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC).
The Minister said Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of ownership to the occupants) Act 2001 provides that the funds generated shall be utilized to finance power projects in the State.
“All the revenue receipts go into the Consolidated Fund (CF) of the State and can be drawn out of it only after assent of the State Legislature for its utilization”, the reply read.
