Jammu, Feb 2 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday said the encroached state land is being retrieved from the big "vested interests" only with the purpose of reverting it back for public use.

Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta directed the Deputy Commissioners to safeguard the habitations and livelihoods of the poor and downtrodden.

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He was speaking in a meeting of Union Territory Divisional and District administration to take stock of measures being taken to streamline the anti-encroachment drive.

Mehta maintained that these measures are aimed at helping common people.

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"This land belongs collectively to the masses and retrieved land shall be used for the benefit of all of them," he said.

He said no person has any legal right to usurp the rights of commoners.

The Chief Secretary pointed out that such measures should be supported by the public as the retrieved land shall be used for public utility such as hospitals, schools, play grounds, bus stands, Industries and parking spaces.

"It shall accelerate all round development in J&K," he said.

Mehta enjoined upon the officers to develop Detailed Project Reports for carrying out developmental works on such lands at the earliest so that fruits of these efforts reach the masses.

He said some people are voluntarily giving up the encroached lands.

The Chief Secretary also directed the Information Technology Department to create a dedicated portal for reflecting the actual quantum of State/ Kacharie/Common land retrieved in all the districts and putting it in public domain for the information of the public.

He advised the Revenue Department to carry out geo-referencing of these public assets so that the same is preserved for the public without ambiguity.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)