Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti had a one-on-one meeting with Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman here today. The Defence Minister was here to attend the meeting of Executive Council of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports, Pahalgam.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister brought several issues pertaining to Defence into her notice, a government spokesman said. He said Mehbooba strongly pressed for speeding up the cases of revision and payment of rent in respect of the land owners of High Ground Anantnag whose land is being used by the Army. She also sought intervention of the Defence Minister for the return of certain pockets of land in the State which are no longer required for operational purposes by the Army.
Nirmala Sitharaman assured Mehbooba Mufti to look into the issue of revision and payment of rent to the land owners of High Ground Anantnag. She regretted the delay and inconvenience caused all these years to these land owners who have not been paid rent and said that it was only during her first meeting with the Chief Minister recently that her attention was drawn towards this by her.
A deputation of land owners of High Ground Anantnag also met the Defence Minister on the occasion and apprised her of their problem.
The Defence Minister assured the deputation that she would try to fast track their case of rent payment and revision and ensure that they are released their due amount forthwith.
