Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary A K Mehta on Sunday asked the revenue department and the board of revenue to comprehensively evaluate and review the existing process of ‘change of land use’ and formulate detailed guidelines by December 25.
Mehta was chairing a meeting to review the process of ‘change of land use’ especially from agricultural to non-agricultural activities in the Union Territory, an official spokesman said.
The chief secretary asked the revenue department and the board of revenue to comprehensively evaluate and review the existing process of change of land use in view of the changed legislative framework in the Union Territory, after studying various models being followed by the most progressive states in the country.
It was directed that an upper ceiling on the quantum of agricultural land to be diverted to non-agricultural activities in individual cases should be duly assessed and prescribed in the guidelines in unambiguous terms to ensure holistic development without compromising on issues of environmental sustainability and food security, the spokesman said.
He said the revenue department and the board of revenue were asked to formulate detailed guidelines for deputy commissioners as per the latest provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act without any ambiguity and discretions by December 25.
The department was also asked to hold wider discussions and consultations with all the stakeholders to develop a sustainable and people-friendly model of change of land use to be followed in the Union Territory and complete the exercise within one month, the spokesman said.
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