Before August 5, 2019, J&K had special status and only permanent residents were able to purchase land and properties there

Only two persons from outside of Jammu & Kashmir have purchased properties in the Union Territory since August 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Nityanand Rai's written reply came in response to a question on whether many people from other states of the country have purchased properties in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, after the abrogation of Article 370.

Before August 5, 2019, J&K had special status and only permanent residents were able to purchase land and properties there.

After the abrogation of Article 370, the Union government changed the laws for procurement of land and properties in the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
Despite that, people from other parts of the country have shown little interest in the procurement of properties in J&K.

The six key reasons are listed below:

1. When new land procurement laws were formed after the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, it was widely opposed by most people, including BJP leaders, in J&K.

2. New land procurement laws said people from outside of J&K were still barred from purchasing agricultural land.

3. The law and order situation in J&K, particularly in Kashmir, has not improved as per the expectations of the Union government. No one wants to purchase properties in troubled areas.

4. Industrialists are not interested to invest in J&K as they see no profits there.

5. Fear of terrorism and uncertainty in Kashmir.

6. Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown are other reasons.