Only two persons from outside J&K have bought property in state since 2019: Govt

NEW DELHI: Only two persons from outside Jammu & Kashmir have purchased a property each in J&K in the two years since abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the home ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
While no further details were given on the location of these properties or the ‘outsiders’ who had purchased them, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai in reply to a question from Lok Sabha MPs clarified that no instances of people facing any hardship or impediments while buying properties in the Union territory have been reported.
Prior to abrogation of Article 370, outsiders were not allowed to buy land in J&K. So much so, even women from J&K who married outsiders would lose their right to property in J&K.
The laws have subsequently been revised, allowing outsiders to purchase non-agricultural land in the state. However, a J&K government spokesperson had earlier said the restrictions on transfer of agricultural land would save 90% of J&K land from being sold to outsiders.
Agricultural land may be sold to only domicile of the state, who are defined as ones who have been resident in the state for a minimum 15 years, have studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class X/XII exam in a registered educational institute in J&K; or children of employees of central government and PSUs who have served in J&K for a period of 10 years.
Not only can the women who marry outside J&K now retain their domicile and rights over property in J&K but even their spouses are entitled to J&K domicile status.