NEW DELHI, Aug 10: Only two persons from outside have bought properties in Jammu and Kashmir in the two years since Article 370 was abrogated and two Union Territories were carved out of the former state in August, 2019, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.
“As per the information provided by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, two persons from outside Jammu and Kashmir have purchased two properties in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019,”Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
The minister was asked whether the government or people from other states faced any “hardship or impediments” while buying properties in the Jammu and Kashmir. “No such instance has been reported to the government,” he replied.
The Home Ministry’s reply was to a question on whether it was true that many people from other states have purchased and are also interested in buying properties in Jammu and Kashmir after the removal of Article 370, which gave the state special status under the Constitution.
The central government scrapped special status to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.
After the complete merger of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union of India, the administration formulated a new definition for domicile for Jammu and Kashmir.
According to that definition, a person living there for at least 15 years is eligible to be a permanent resident of the Union Territory.
The government notification also extended domicile rights to central government employees who have served in the state for 10 years and their children.
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir assembly was constitutionally empowered to define who is a resident and only those people could apply for jobs or own property in the former state.
However, the home ministry last year amended a 2010 law, the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment Act), and replaced the term “permanent residents” with “domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir.”
(Manas Dasgupta)