J&K government for conservation of agriculture land: Raman Bhalla

Minister for revenue and chairman select committee Raman Bhalla today said the government would not allow the use of agriculture land for non-agricultural purposes in the state.

"Government is serious about prohibiting usage of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes", he said while addressing a meeting of Select Committee on "Jammu and Kashmir Prohibition on conservation of Agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes Bill 2011".

He added that the government's intention regarding the Bill is to conserve the agricuture land but at the same time the developmental activities should not get affected.

The Minister sought inclusion of Agriculture, Housing, Revenue and other related departments for broadbasing the Bill and making it visionary.

The Bill has to be amended in such a way as would suit interests of both big and small land holders, he said adding the usage of land has to be rationalised to the mutual benefit of all stake holders, he said.

An official spokesperson said threadbare discussion was held on various issues relating to the amendment of the Bill during the meeting, convened here yesterday. The legislators - Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Moulvi Iftikar Hussain Ansari, Mir Saif-ullah and Charanjit Singh gave their suggestions on the conservation of agriculture land, the spokesman added.