Srinagar
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities have transferred over 3,100 acres (25,000 kanals) of state land to Department of Industries and Commerce for creation of a land bank to ensure rapid industrial expansion.
An official spokesman said that out of the total land transferred, 17,000 kanals is in Jammu division, whereas 8,000 kanals is in Kashmir division.
He said the land has been identified by the revenue authorities in consultation with the Industries and Commerce Department (I&C Department) and shall be put to use for development of industrial estates over the next few years.
Industrial Policy 2016 envisaged creation of land bank of 20,000 kanals over a period of 10 years across IIOJK.
The spokesman said that prior to 2018, the I&C Department had established 49 industrial estates across IIOJK with a total area of 31,448 kanals. The new land bank of approximately 25,000 kanals shall add to these existing industrial estates, he added.
Political analysts and experts are of the view that this move is part of Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government’s plan to change the demography of IIOJK. They say this land will be transferred to the Indian industrialists for establishing industrial units. They say that the Indian citizens then will be brought to IIOJK in the shape of workforce and settled in the territory on permanent basis, thus effecting a change in the demographic composition of the territory.—KMS