SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday informed the Legislative Assembly that over 39,000 housing units have been sanctioned and more than 31,000 completed under the ‘Housing for All’ scheme across the Union Territory, while also detailing the legal framework behind land use restrictions in Budgam.
In a written reply to Legislator Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi (Budgam), the government, represented by the Chief Minister in his capacity as the Minister-in-Charge of the Housing and Urban Development Department, provided a district-wise breakdown of the scheme’s implementation.
According to the data, a total of 39,153 houses were sanctioned across 20 districts, with 31,173 completed. Jammu district recorded the highest number of sanctioned units at 5,755, followed by Baramulla with 4,165 and Budgam with 3,204. Srinagar saw 3,508 units sanctioned and 2,664 completed.
In response to a query regarding a prohibitory notification barring construction on private (Milkiyat) land within the municipal limits of Budgam, the government stated that the total area under the Master Plan for Municipal Budgam is 202 sq km. However, it noted that the exact extent of the affected private land could not be provided as the cadastral layer has not yet been superimposed on the land use plan of the Master Plan Srinagar-2035.
On the process of notification, the government clarified that the Draft Master Plan Srinagar-2035 was placed in the public domain in accordance with the JK Development Act, 1970, and the JK Development Authority Rules, 1976, to invite objections and suggestions from the general public.
“A Master Plan is prepared to guide long-term growth and development in an organized, sustainable way,” the reply stated, outlining the objectives of such planning. It added that the plan helps manage urban expansion, allocate land for various uses, coordinate infrastructure, protect the environment, and provides a legal framework for land use and construction.
The government maintained that the notification was issued as part of the statutory process to serve as a roadmap for the city’s future, balancing growth, economy, environment, and livability. The response did not specify if individual landowners were consulted prior to the issuance of the notification, emphasizing the public domain consultation process instead. (KNS)
