JAMMU NOVEMBER 27 (KNS): Former Minister and National Conference Additional General Secretary Ajay Kumar Sadhotra today questioned the logic behind approving Rs 26 Crore by the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for purchase of land to build an additional building for Jammu and Kashmir House in New Delhi, even as the UT Administration owns nearly 114 Kanal or prime land at Rajaji Margin the National Capital, major chunk of which is under the occupation of the Army.
According to a statement issued to KNS, reads that "It would have been sagacious for the J&K Administration to get the prime Rajaji Margland vacated from the Army, given the unique opportunity of the so-called double
engine government in place", Mr Sadhotra said in a statement, adding that the
Lieutenant Governor ought to have spoken to Defence Minister Mr Rajnath Singh for
resolving the issue, instead of putting additional pressure on the state exchequer.
Sadhotra hoped that the Lieutenant Governor's Administration will reconsider the decision and get the considerable chunk of 97 kanals out of the total 114 kanal land vacated from the Army to have a magnificent Jammu and Kashmir House, keeping in view the growing needs of the downgraded state.
Sadhotra recalled the written reply of the then Jammu and Kashmir Government, to which the BJP was a coalition partner, to the Legislative Assembly on June 2, 2016 informing that "the Government of Jammu and Kashmir owned property comprising of 14.32 Acres (114K-11.2M) of land with built up area popularly known as Kashmir House New Delhi. A major portion of land is under the occupation of the Ministry of Defence and so far only 17.4 kanals of land which houses the 75 number of staff quarters is in possession of the Jammu and Kashmir government. The government has said that the issue with respect to vacation of land has already been taken up with the Ministry of Defence Government of India and Directorate of Estates, Government of India". He also recalled the visit of the House Committee of J&K Legislative Council,
constituted to look into the restoration of State properties situated outside the State, to Rajaji Marg and 5-Prithvi Raj Road on July 22, 2013 to have on-the-spot inspetion of the assets.
The Committee passed certain observations and directed the officers to come up with a comprehensive plan to make optimal use of the available land with the Government. The Committee, inter-alia, suggested that Delhi being Capital of the country, the State Government must maintain the standards of its offices and residential accommodation according to the norms of Metropolitan city and create adequate accommodation for the visiting people from the State", he added.
In this backdrop, the NC Additional General Secretary Mr Sadhotra hoped that the LG Administration will take a call on this important issue, speak to the Union
Ministry of Defence and have the matter sorted out for creating adequate
accommodation for the visiting people of Jammu and Kashmir to New Delhi And save State Exchequer.(KNS)