BJP backs Dr Rangarajan, demands liberal land lease policy in J

Jammu, Dec 2 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit today extended its support to the Working Group on Economic Reconstruction's opinion of formulating a comprehensive land lease policy to attract private sector, and demanded a ''liberal land lease policy'' for the economic growth of the state.

''There is a need to liberalise the land lease policy to ensure economic growth of J&K,'' said former state BJP president Dr Nirmal Singh here at a press conference.

The BJP leader, however, criticised the coalition partners in the state government and the main opposition National Conference (NC) for ''politically blackmailing'' the Centre.

''The representatives of state government and the main opposition were non-serious about the Working Group meetings,'' he said.

Dr C Rangarajan, the Chairman of Working Group on Economic Reconstruction had yesterday asked the government to devise a clear and comprehensive lease land policy.

After chairing second meeting here of the Economic Construction Group -- one of the five working groups set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Kashmir -- Dr Rangarajan said, ''Tourism is the backbone of the state economy, and for making the Tourism sector more sound, the state government has to clear its policy on the land lease.'' UNI VJ SI DS1402