In Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that over 144 crore Rs. have been disbursed to farmers whose lands were affected by fencing along the International Border (IB). Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that the Chief Minister said 155.08 crore Rs. has been allocated as compensation, out of which 144.12 crore Rs. has already been disbursed to landowners, with the remaining amount pending title verification. Responding to supplementary questions from various MLAs representing different parties regarding concerns raised by border residents, Omar told the House, This is a humanitarian issue. He observed that border dwellers face numerous challenges and said his government will convene a meeting of MLAs from border areas in April to address the issues faced by them.

The CM added that following the conclusion of the budget session in April, a meeting with all border area MLAs will be held, and the government will take whatever steps are necessary. Several BJP members, including Vijay Kumar, Surjit Singh Salathia, Devinder Kumar Manyal, and CPIM member M Y Tarigami, raised issues related to land compensation, agricultural activities by locals before fencing, and poor conditions of border hamlets. Earlier, responding to a question from Hiranagar MLA Vijay Kumar during the Question Hour, Minister for Revenue Sakina Itoo informed that the BSF has acquired 13 thousand and 415 kanals of land across 113 villages in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts of Jammu division for border fencing along the Indo-Pak border. She said the BSF has laid fencing along a 135-foot-wide strip in these border districts.