Relief package for border migrants

Jammu, Jan 19 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today informed the state Legislative Assembly that a relief package for the families of 6072 border migrants of Aknoor tehsil has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan.

The package includes allotment of five marlas of land to each of the families displaced from Akhnoor Tehsil, Jammu Division on account of border disturbances in the wake of the Kargil Conflict of 1999.

To a question, Minister of State for Revenue Prem Sagar Aziz said the details about the encroachment of state land were being compiled and over the years large areas of the state land had been encroached upon.

He said the government has enacted the Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (vesting of ownership to the occupants) Act, 2001 with amendments made therein in the year 2004.

''Through an ordinance issued on November 20, 2006 to regularise the state land under occupation of various persons, ownership rights were conferred on them,'' he said, adding it will help fetch some amount also to the government, which can be used in essential sectors.

He said 5481 kanals, 16 marlas and 7899 kanals, 14 marlas, have respectively been leased out in the Jammu region and Kashmir division from time to time under Land Grants Act, 1960 for different purposes.

UNI