Agriculture in j&k

Introduction

The state of J&K is basically an agrarian state. Agriculture occupies an important place in the economy of the state. The share of agriculture and allied sectors in the Gross state Domestic Product (at 1999-2000 prices) for the year 2010-11 as per preliminary estimates stands at 20.59%. On the other nearly 70% of the population in the state derives its livelihood directly or indirectly from agricultural sector. Agriculture is the main stay of the state's economy.

Statistics of Agriculture in the State

The state of J&K is predominantly a mono cropped and rain fed with about 40% of the area in Jammu division and 60% in Kashmir Division having assured means of irrigation. Irrigation is crucial input for development of agriculture in the state. The major area in the state falls under the command of canal irrigation.

Rice, Maize and Wheat are the major crops in the state. While in Kashmir region Wheat, Oil Seeds and Fodder is being introduced as the secondary crop. In Jammu farmers are raising paddy as an additional crop. The production level of paddy adds about 40 quintals per hectare in Kashmir Valley and is highest in the country
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Land Use Statistics

Land use statistics is available for 2416 thousand hectares. Over the year land use statistics has not undergone any significant change. The total reporting area as per revenue papers is 2416 thousand hectares for the year 2011-12.

Area not Available for Cultivation

As per the figure for 2011-12 area not available for cultivation accounts for 574 thousand hectares. The category consists of 245 thousand hectares following under land put to non agriculture use and 312 thousand hectares under barren and uncultivable land, 5 thousand hectares is under still water, marshy and water lodged category which is negligible proportion.

The crop yield for the year 2011-12 regarding principal agriculture crops was estimated to be 1.6 metric tonnes per annum for maize, 2.078 metric tonnes per annum for rice and 1.68 metric tonnes per annum for wheat, which are the major crops of the state.
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Jammu and Kashmir State is a food deficit State. There is a big gap between production of food grains and their consumption as a result State has to import about 07 lakh MTs of food grain  every year.The Food grain production in Kashmir Division has touched 9.9 lakh M.Ts figure by the end of 2013-14. But still the deficit is 21.70% (about 2.65 lakh M.Ts). The deficit in production in Kashmir Division is mainly due to geographical and climatic conditions as most of the area is mono cropped. Another factor responsible for this is small and fragmented land holdings that minimize the scope of mechanization and other scientific practices for more production.
Moreover conversion of agricultural land for Horticulture and other non-agricultural purpose is also contributing to this deficit.
In order to bridge this gap to the maximum possible extent Agriculture Department has been striving hard for increasing the production level of various crops including food crops. To achieve this objective the Agriculture Department is implementing a number of Centrally Sponsored Schemes to incentivize farmers for adopting latest technology to enhance the production. During past few years we have achieved remarkable success in enhancing the production level of some important crops like Paddy, Maize, Vegetables and Saffron thereby improving the economic condition of the Farmers. However, there is yet lot more to be done to bring further improvement in the implementation of Agriculture schemes to make the State self sufficient. For this all stakeholders are required to join hands

Centrally Sponsored Schemes

Rashtirya Krishi Vikas Youjana (RKVY)
National Saffron Mission (NMS)

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)

National Mission on Oilseed and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

Crop Insurance
PMFBY
National Mission on Agriculture Extension & Technology (NMAET)

Prime Minister's Krishi Sinchai Youjna(PMKSY)

Submission on seeds & Planting Material (SMSP)

Submission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)

Submission on Plant Protection & Plant Quarantine

National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGP-A)

Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

Jammu and kashmir general land use

What is the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA)?

The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016, the landmark realty law to protect home buyers from unscrupulous developers,

What is Real Estate Act, 2016?

The Act which is envisaged to regulate both commercial and residential real estate projects, seeks to set up a state level regulatory authority called Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERAs) for regulation and promotion of the real estate sector.
The Act makes it mandatory for uploading the details of a Real Estate project on the website of the RERAs. Real estate agents also need to register with the RERAs.
The Act also makes it mandatory for the builders to put 70% of the amount collected from buyers in a separate bank account. This must only be used for construction of the project. However, the state government can alter this amount to less than 70%.
The Act also seeks to establish fast track dispute resolution mechanisms for settlement of disputes through adjudicating officers and Appellate Tribunal.

Here’s all you need to know about the new realty law:

• It makes it mandatory for all builders - developing a project where the land exceeds 500 square metre - to register with RERA before launching or even advertising their project. Developers have been given time until July 31 to register.
• Not doing so will invite up to a maximum imprisonment of 3 years or fine of up to 10% of the total project cost.

• Developers will have to submit as well as upload project details, including approved layout plan, timeline, cost, and the sale agreement, that prospective buyers will have to sign to the proposed regulator.

•Only developers who fulfil this disclosure clause would be permitted to advertise their project to prospective buyers.

•Real Estate Appellate Tribunals to be set up in every state.
•As of now, the real estate sector was largely unregulated in India. If a consumer had a complaint against a developer they had to make rounds of consumer or civil courts. Now, in case of any grievance, the consumer can go to the real estate regulator for redressal.

• Developers will have to put 50% of the money collected from a buyer in a separate account to meet the construction cost of the project. This will put a check to the general practice by developers to divert buyer’s money to start a new project instead of finishing the one for which money was collected. This will ensure that construction is completed on time.

• The law is likely to stabilise housing prices. It will lead to enhanced activity in the sector, leading to more housing units supplied to the market.

• It will weed out fly-by-night operators from the sector and channelise investment into it.

• Builders will also benefit as the law has penal provisions for allottees who do not pay dues on time. The builder can also approach the regulator in case there is any issue with the buyer.

What are some of the key issues?

Major issue is Parliament’s jurisdiction to make laws related to real estate as “land” is in the State List of the Constitution. However, the primary aim of the act is to regulate contracts and transfer of property, both of which are in the Concurrent List.
Some states already have laws to regulate real estate projects. And the act differs from these state laws on several grounds.
The Bill mandates that 70% of the amount collected from buyers of a project be used only for construction. In certain cases, the cost of land more than 30%.
The real estate sector has some other issues such as a lengthy process for project approvals, lack of clear land titles, and prevalence of black money. Some of these also fall under the State List.

Why establishing RERA is important?

Only 4 States and 6 Union Territories so far notified the final Real Estate Rules. So, the Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation has urged the Chief Ministers of states to implement the Act before April 30, 2017.
From May 1, 2017, under the provisions of the Act, both buyers and developers of real estate property can approach RERA seeking relief against violation of the contractual obligations and other provisions of the Act.
For this to happen, Real Estate Authorities and Appellate Tribunals were required to be in place and in a position
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How it works in other countries

United States

Real estate in the US is regulated at numerous levels. There is no single regulatory body, but a series of bodies that regulate different ownership and usage aspects. To safeguard the interest of the end-users, the US department of housing and urban development (HUD) has rules under the real estate settlement procedures act to protect consumer interests pertaining to residential properties.

If a buyer enters a contract with the developer, and the developer does not deliver on the terms agreed upon in the contract, the developer can be taken to court for breach of contract. In the US, there are state real estate licensing laws and a code of ethics in place.

United Kingdom

There is no regulator to monitor development. The financial services authority (FSA), which is now part of the Bank of England, regulates almost all investments in real estate. The Property Misdescriptions Act, 1991, prohibits making false or misleading statements on property matters in the course of estate agency business and the property development business.

(Source: Realty decoded: Investing across borders by Ernst & Young and Ficci)

Universal basic income

What is a Universal Basic Income?
•    A universal basic income (UBI) is an unconditional and universal right. It requires that every person should have a right to a basic income to cover their needs, just by virtue of being citizens.
•    The Economic Survey (ES) 2016-17 says the time has come to think of UBI for a number of following reasons
•    Social Justice - A UBI promotes many of the basic values of a society which respects all individuals as free and equal.
•    Poverty Reduction - Conditional on the presence of a well-functioning fnancial system, a Universal Basic Income may simply be the fastest way of reducing poverty.

•    Agency - The poor in India have been treated as objects of government policy. An unconditional cash transfer treats them as agents, not subjects.
•    By taking the individual and not the household as the unit of beneficiary, UBI can also enhance agency, especially of women within households.

•    Administrative Effciency -  It is a way of ensuring that state welfare transfers are more effcient so that the state can concentrate on other public goods.

What are its basic principles?

The main features of UBI are that it should be universal and not targeted, it should be unconditional and not tied to work or employment, and it should be in cash.
UBI is envisaged as a method of redistribution of resources from the rich to the poor.
It is envisaged as providing all persons (especially, the poor) with an income to lead a dignified life, with basic needs taken care of.
The UBI proposed in the ES is hostile to each of these objectives.
What are the flaws in proposed UBI?

The first wrong committed by the ES is that its proposal constitutes an attack on welfare schemes.
The ES wants UBI not to supplement, but to replace, all existing social welfare schemes.
European scholar Mr. Parijs says, that while fighting towards greater income security, we must not neglect the importance of providing people with quality basic education and health care.
It is thus technically and ethically wrong to compare the costs and benefits of UBI with those from a range of subsidies relating to food and nutrition (PDS, school meals, ICDS), education etc., as is done in ES.
The second wrong is, the argument that the UBI should also replace all current in-kind (such as food subsidies) and cash transfers (such as maternity benefit).
The third wrong, is the ES’s assertion that “UBI is not framed as a transfer payment from the rich to the poor.”
A basic income needs resources. Thus, the comparatively rich would need to pay both for their own basic income and for much of the basic income of the comparatively poor.
While the basic income is given to all, the manner in which the basic income is funded has to ensure that society transfers resources from the rich to the poor.
The ES also does not propose any new resource mobilisation or taxation to meet the goal of UBI.
Rather, it says the existing programmes will have to be cut to fund the universal basic income. There is no intention of making the rich pay for the basic income.
What are the justifications provided by ES?

UBI reduces the incentive to work - The levels at which universal basic income are likely to be pegged are going to be minimal guarantees. Thus they are unlikely to crowd incentives to work.
Should income be detached from employment? Any society where any form of inheritance or accepting nonwork related income is allowed, already detaches income from employment.
Should income be unconditional, with no regard to people’s contribution to society? Individuals, in most cases contribute to society. In fact, UBI can also be a way of acknowledging non-wage work related contributions to society.
What a genuine UBI would entail?

UBI equivalent to the expected income transfer under MGNREGA itself would cost Rs. 510,000 crore.
This is more than 10 times the allocation in the current Budget for MGNREGA (Rs. 48,000 crore).
Resource mobilisation has to increase ten-fold forfor India to afford the universal basic income without cutting back on other social welfare programmes.
Unless the government seriously increases tax resources, the proposal for a universal basic income is at best a fantasy idea.