JAMMU: Since 2016, a total of 6,816.25 kanal of land has been allotted to 213 non-local investors across Jammu and Kashmir under the JK Industrial Policy 2016-26 and the amended JK Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2021-30, the government revealed as part of the responses during the demand of grants for industries. Of this, 6,408.25 kanal has been allotted to 205 non-locals in the Jammu region, while 408 kanal has been given to eight non-local beneficiaries in the Kashmir division.
According to official data, the majority of investors hail from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh. The interest of outside investors in Jammu and Kashmir has seen a significant rise since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The government said it has received 8,532 applications through its single-window portal, proposing investments worth Rs 1,69,282.22 crore, with the potential to create over six lakh jobs. These applications require a total of 80,668.91 kanal of land, and the government has been processing them as per the established policies.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, in a statement during the debate on demands for grants for the Industries and Commerce Department, highlighted that 971 industrial units have been approved under the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) 2021, attracting Rs 10,471 crore in investments and generating 51,897 jobs. He also announced the development of 46 new industrial estates, in addition to the existing 64, to further expand opportunities for business growth in the region.
The data suggests that the preference of investors remains skewed towards Jammu, particularly the districts of Kathua and Samba, which have emerged as key industrial hubs. Under the Industrial Policy 2016-26, 28 businessmen from different parts of India were allotted over 500 kanals of land in these twin districts alone. However, the introduction of the amended industrial policy 2021-30 has led to interest from investors in states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as well.
Government officials have reiterated that all land allotments have been made strictly for industrial purposes, following the due procedure outlined in the policy. The administration is also identifying additional land for future development, with 15,994 industrial plots already earmarked for expansion.
