Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is set to deliberate on a series of Private Members’ Bills on March 30, including those seeking ownership rights for occupants of evacuee properties and the restoration of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act, 1960.
A total of 33 Private Members’ Bills are scheduled for introduction and discussion in the Assembly. Among these, a significant bill proposed by National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq aims to restore the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act, 1960, and its associated rules to their original form as they existed before the 2022 amendments. This proposed legislation intends to safeguard the rights of current leaseholders and occupants, ensuring that public land continues to serve the interests of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chenab Times has learned that another prominent bill among the listed business is from Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia. His bill seeks to provide ownership rights to individuals occupying evacuee properties.
The agenda also includes discussions on bills concerning the regularization of daily wagers and the implementation of complete liquor prohibition across Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, a bill introduced by the National Conference’s chief whip, pertaining to the salaries, allowances, and other benefits of the Chief Whip of the majority party in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, is also slated for consideration.
Notably, a widely discussed bill by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, which proposed the creation of two new administrative divisions in Doda and Rajouri-Poonch, along with 16 new districts, was not included in the list of bills for the initial day of Private Members’ Business during the ongoing budget session. The provisional calendar of the J&K Legislative Assembly has allocated March 30 and April 2 for the introduction and discussion of these bills.
Para’s bill has already sparked considerable political debate within Jammu and Kashmir. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership has leveraged the proposal to challenge political rivals, the National Conference and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the PDP asserts that the bill would facilitate decentralization and improve governance, particularly benefiting the Chenab Valley and Rajouri-Poonch regions, the BJP has expressed reservations, suggesting a potential underlying political motive. The National Conference, in turn, has accused the PDP of making populist gestures aimed at undermining the initiatives of the National Conference government to empower sub-regions.
Responding to media inquiries regarding the PDP’s proposed bill for new divisions and districts, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary adopted a cautious stance. He remarked on the National Conference’s historical support for decentralization and characterized the PDP’s efforts as politically motivated, questioning why such proposals were not pursued when the PDP was in power with the BJP. He added that he would advocate for his constituency if any area warrants district status in the future.
Despite the absence of Para’s bill on administrative divisions and districts from the day’s agenda, three of his other bills are listed for deliberation. These include a proposal for establishing a residential and technical university in Jammu and Kashmir, funded by surplus resources from the Kashmir Creative Educational Foundation, to offer higher education. Another bill aims to vest ownership of state land with long-term occupants, regularize tourism-related land and other occupied lands, and promote transparency in land ownership transfers. A third bill seeks the regularization of ad hoc, daily wage, need-based, and other temporary workers.
CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami has also introduced a Private Members’ Bill concerning the regularization of casual and other workers in various government departments of Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, National Conference MLAs Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and Mubarak Gul have moved bills to ban the import of frozen or chilled food items to protect the local food industry and public health, and to implement stringent measures against unhygienic meat practices, respectively. NC MLA Ali Muhammad Sagar, along with his party colleague Sheikh Ahsan Pardesi, have proposed a complete ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in J&K, with Pardesi specifically targeting the Lal Chowk constituency. PDP MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz has also introduced a bill for prohibition of advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic drinks, while independent MLA Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad has called for a comprehensive ban on liquor in the Kashmir Valley, citing social, religious, and security sensitivities.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
