SRINAGAR: A total of 3,729 kanals and 4 marlas of land belonging to Kashmiri migrant families has been retrieved across Jammu and Kashmir, with 844 kanals and 4 marlas restored since November 2024 alone, the government informed the Legislative Assembly, with Ganderbal district emerging as the top contributor in recent recoveries.
Replying to a starred Assembly question, the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction said that sustained efforts by district administrations have led to large-scale restoration of migrant immovable properties across the Kashmir Valley. Among districts, Ganderbal recorded the highest retrieval in the latest phase with over 146 kanals restored since November 2024, followed by Shopian with about 92 kanals and Pulwama with around 60 kanals, indicating relatively stronger enforcement and recovery action in these areas.
The government said the retrieval process is being carried out under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997, with Deputy Commissioners designated as custodians of such properties. It added that Additional Deputy Commissioners have also been notified as nodal officers to ensure expeditious disposal of cases.
Providing a broader status, the government said that district administrations have undertaken coordinated action to identify, retrieve and restore encroached or illegally occupied migrant land, which is then handed back to rightful beneficiaries in a transparent manner. It said institutional monitoring has been strengthened through the constitution of a high-level steering committee in January 2026, which has already reviewed implementation and issued directions to streamline the process.
The government also highlighted the role of a dedicated online grievance redressal system for migrant properties, through which 10,173 applications have been received so far. Of these, 9,713 have been disposed of by district magistrates, with 7,829 cases approved, while only a small number of cases remain pending.
To strengthen enforcement, the government said directions have been issued for registration of FIRs in cases involving encroachment, creation of geo-tagged inventories of migrant properties, transparent handover procedures and regular updating of revenue records. Monitoring mechanisms involving the Divisional Commissioner and police authorities have also been put in place to track encroachments and ensure compliance.
The government said additional steps such as outreach camps, including a scheduled programme in April 2026, are being organised to facilitate on-the-spot grievance redressal for affected families.
Alongside property restoration, the government outlined a range of welfare measures for Kashmiri migrant families, including financial assistance of Rs 3,250 per person per month subject to a ceiling of Rs 13,000 per family, free ration, housing support through transit accommodations and townships, and employment packages. It said 5,896 appointments have been made against 6,000 sanctioned posts under rehabilitation schemes, while thousands of families have also benefited from social security and other support measures.
The government maintained that a comprehensive legal and administrative framework is now in place to ensure time-bound restoration of migrant properties and broader rehabilitation of affected families, with the process being actively monitored at multiple levels.
