Debate Over Roshni Scheme: A Battle for Land Rights

In a heated session at the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, NC MLA Nazir Gurezi called on the government to seek judicial intervention to reinstate the Roshni scheme, a controversial land policy that had previously granted ownership rights to unauthorized occupants of state land.

Gurezi's remarks, made during Zero Hour, came in response to the ongoing debate over land rights following the repeal of the Jammu and Kashmir State Land (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, known as the Roshni Act. The act was officially nullified in 2018, and subsequent actions in 2020 further canceled land transfers executed under it.

Further contention arose as MLAs highlighted regional disparities in implementing the Land Grants Rules, 2022, noting that evictions were predominantly occurring in Kashmir, while expired leases in Jammu remained unaddressed, raising concerns about potential biases in the policy's application.