Veeri directs for early realization of pending payments against EP, Auqaf land

Minister reviews status of outstanding land compensation, rent amount with various Deptts

JAMMU, APRIL 05: Minister for Revenue, Hajj & Auqaf and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri has directed the Evacuee Property and Auqaf Department to take serious efforts for realizing the all pending rent amount and payment against its land acquired by various government department and agencies. The Minister has also asked all Land Collectors to look into all these cases and release the said payments at the earliest besides asked Administrators Auqaf to follow the cases on regular basis.

The Minister gave these directions while chairing a high-level meeting with senior officers to review the status of outstanding on account of rentals/land compensation against various departments in respect of EP and Auqaf department.

Minister for Agriculture Production, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura was also present in the meeting.

Principal Secretary Home, Raj Kumar Goyal, Commissioner Secretary Revenue, Shahid Inaytullah, Custodian General J&K Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, Director Agriculture Jammu, H K Razdan, Special Officer Auqaf Raj Mohammad, ACRs, officers of Evacuee Property Department, Auqaf Administrators and concerned department attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Custodian General J&K briefed the meeting about the outstanding on account of rentals against various government departments including Police, Estates, Health, Education, Agriculture, Sheep Husbandry, Public Works, Defence and other centre government agencies.

After having deliberate discussions on the issue department wise, the Minister asked all the officers representing their department to look into the issue and take steps to release the outstanding dues at the earliest.

Veeri asked Custodian General to reconcile the data and to share it with all concerned departments so that process is initiated for payment.

“All the long pending cases in which rent against land/structures has not been provided by the government departments needs to be taken up at higher level for redressal”, the Minister said adding that such cases should be first taken up with Commissioner Secretary Revenue so that can be discussed at the Administrative Secretaries level.

While discussing the rental arrangement for the EP land being utilized by the Agriculture department, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura asked the EP department to reconsider the revised rates as they are considerably higher than the earlier rates.

The meeting was also informed that as per the decision of Chief Minister, a Committee has to be constituted to work out the modalities to clear all the pending liabilities including of Agriculture department.

It was informed that till the Committee come up with its recommendations; Agriculture department will pay the basic rent to EP department.

With regard to issues of land presently under possession of defence agencies, the Minister asked Principal Secretary Home, Raj Kumar Goyal to take up the matter with Director Estates, Defence so that pending rent/other issues are resolved in timely manner.

Besides, the status of payment against land compensation cases of Evacuee Property department was also discussed briefly during the meeting. The Custodian General apprised the meeting about the details of the EP land acquired by government departments/agencies for development projects and their payment status district wise.

The Minister directed Land Collectors to prepare the cases and release all pending payments soon to the EP department.

Meanwhile, the Minister also reviewed the status of Auqaf land acquired by various government departments in the state. Special Officer Auqaf, Raj Mohammad made a detailed presentation during the meeting and informed the Minister about department wise possession of Auqaf Land.

Veeri asked the Auqaf Administrators who acts as field functionaries for the department to take up the issue with concerned departments and follow the cases regularly. He asked the Special Officer Auqaf to provide details of the long pending cases to Commissioner Secretary Revenue for their timely redressal.

The Minister also asked for completing necessary documentation/ legal process where the land is acquired by the departments but payment against such land has not been provided yet to Auqaf department.

Addressing the Evacuee Property and Auqaf department officers, the Minister stressed for maintaining the updated record so that departmental land is monitored properly and be saved from getting encroached.

“It is the responsibility of officers especially the field functionaries to update the land record and seriously follow the cases where payment has not been received against land acquisition by other departments to carry out people welfare and other projects”, the Minister maintained.

Veeri further asked the officers to follow the set procedure for land acquisition process so that payment is made against the land before it is handed over to the indenting department.