Maharashtra Set To Become First State To Purchase Land In Kashmir For Construction Of Tourist Facility

Maharashtra is set to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir to build a facility for tourists and officials, becoming the first state to do so.

The facility, Maharashtra Bhawan, will be located in Budgam, near Srinagar.

The Maharashtra cabinet approved the land purchase, which is 2.5 acres near Srinagar airport, for Rs 8.16 crore.

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The Maharashtra cabinet sanctioned the purchase of the land on Wednesday (13 March).

The Jammu and Kashmir government has green-lighted the land transfer to the Maharashtra state government, contingent upon a payment of Rs 8.16 crore.

“Sanction is accorded to the transfer of Shamlat Deh land measuring 20 kanal situated at estate Ichgam Budgam in favour of Maharashtra state… on payment of transfer value of Rs 8.16 crore, which is Rs 40.8 lakh per kanal, for construction of Maharshtra Bhawan,” a Revenue department note states, Indian Express reported.

The process to purchase land in J&K and construct a tourist facility on it was started after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited Jammu and Kashmir and met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha in June last year.

The facility aims to provide comfortable lodging and amenities for visitors and officials from Maharashtra.

During his budget address, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, announced the construction of two Maharashtra Bhawans, one in Srinagar and another in Ayodhya to “provide better and safer facilities to the tourists and devotees of the State at reasonable rates”.

Pawar said that the state has earmarked Rs 77 crore for the development of these two state guesthouse facilities.

It should be noted that prior to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, land purchases in the erstwhile state were restricted to its permanent residents.

The government, though, could lease land for longer periods – of up to 99 years – to industries and people from outside.

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