ZT NEWS NETWORK
JAMMU: Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir today contested a news report appearing in a section of press regarding transfer of Land to the department.
The Department has put certain facts on record that are misrepresented and are wrongly attributed to Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department in the news report, an official statement said today.
It is categorically stated that no land has been transferred to the Industries and Commerce Department by UT Government since Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order 2020 came into force on 27-10-2020. This process of identification of suitable state land for expansion of industrial estates and creation of new estates is an ongoing process and has been done from time to time, the statement added.
The Department of Industries and Commerce has planned creation of a land bank of 6000 acres or close to 48,000 Kanals in the Union Territory for the purpose of creation of new Industrial Estates and expansion and upgradation of already existing Industrial Estates to attract and ground investments in the Union Territory.
The quantum of land transferred to I&C Department is about 16000 Kanals in Jammu Division and about 8000 Kanals in Kashmir Division totalling to approximately 24,000 Kanals of Land and not 2.4 Lakh Kanals as is mentioned in the news article.
Transfer of remaining Land out of 48,000 Kanals is pending for clearance with the Forest Department among others as is in the due process on acquisition of such land. Further around 75 MoUs have been executed with various prospective investors in different fields like Hospitals, Industry, Education, Food Processing etc by the Department of Industries
and Commerce. Many investors are locally established and some are from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The department is working on creation of employment opportunities in the private sector by encouraging such Investments and also creation of a conducive business eco-system.