Over 2700 landless households in Jammu and Kashmir provided land under PM Awas Yojana: LG Manoj Sinha

LG Sinha said that a total of 1,99,550 homeless families have been identified under the PM Awas Yojana of which 1,44000 families have received approval as of June 21.

SRINAGAR (JAMMU AND KASHMIR): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led Jammu and Kashmir on Monday said that landless households in the union territory are being given 5 marlas of land each under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana. LG ,Manoj Sinha while addressing a press conference at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar said that it was recently decided to distribute five marlas of land to the landless households of J&K after reviewing the matter with the Revenue and Rural Development department and the Administrative Council.

The LG informed that 2711 landless households have already received land, and more will do so soon. Likewise, 1,99,550 homeless families have been identified, and as of June 21, 1,44000 of them have received approval, he said. On a question whether West Pakistani Refugees were included in the programme, the LG said that the land was being provided irrespective of caste and religion.

"The eligibility requirements are being observed. Everyone who qualifies is covered,” he added. "Giving homes and land to the homeless is a revolutionary move. When a poor person gets home, he will consider how to make a living and educate his kids,” the LG remarked. At the presser, the LG also delved on the recently concluded G20 meeting in Srinagar and ongoing Amarnath Yatra.

The LG said that after the G-20 Tourism Working Group conference in Srinagar, foreign tourist arrivals in the Union Territory showed a “considerable increase”. He predicted that this number will continue to rise in the months to come. The successful G-20 meeting is proving to be a game changer for the tourism industry in J&K, he said.

"The attendees of the G-20 conference returned to their home nations with positive messages. Foreign tourists' visits to J&K have significantly increased after the G-20 summit. In the upcoming months, the number is expected to increase much more,” he said. The LG said that Srinagar is quickly becoming the centre of international activity.

"For the first time, the Indian System of Medicines, Engineer's Association, Chartered Accountant Association, and 18 Supreme Court judges participated in different meetings in Srinagar recently," he said. Over Amarnath Yatra, the LG claimed that the Amarnath Yatra is proceeding successfully on both tracks with adequate security measures in place.

"There are 4000 sanitary employees working to keep the area clean, he said. “One issue that is being addressed in the next two days is the management of tourist and local traffic. The local population would have the least inconveniences possible," the LG added.