By 
JAMMU: In a bid to boost economic activities like manufacturing and service, Jammu & Kashmir administration has transferred 25,000 kanals (1 kanal= 5445sqft) of state land to the department of industries and commerce. The move is in line with the Industrial Policy-2016, which envisaged the creation of a land bank of 20,000 kanals across J&K over a period of 10 years, with emphasis on locations outside urban areas.
“Out of the total land transferred, 17,000 kanals is in Jammu division, whereas 8,000 kanals is in Kashmir division. This land bank consists of non-forest, non-agricultural primarily barren state land parcels,” an official said, adding: “It has been identified by revenue authorities in consultation with the industry department and shall be put to use for development of industrial estates over next few years.”
Before 2018, the department of industries & commerce had established 49 industrial estates across J&K with a total area of 31,448 kanals. This new land bank will add to these existing industrial estates.
The land in the industrial estates is allotted on lease basis through a proper process laid down in the industrial policy to carry out industrial activity. Out of the new land bank, no land patch has yet been allotted to any entrepreneur as the same is yet to be developed, which shall take some time.
During the last two years, only 453 units have been set up on government land in J&K. These units have been allotted a total of 1,371 kanals of land on lease basis in industrial areas across J&K after following procedure and guidelines as prescribed in the industrial policy.
With the announcement of industrial-friendly packages by the government of India, the region witnessed a spurt in industrial activity across J&K, which resulted in creation and expansion of new industrial estates at Samba, Udhampur, Rangreth, Khunmoh and Lassipora.
