Srinagar, Oct 29 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir government informed the legislative Assembly that Rs 6.49 crore have been spent on the maintenance and renovation of properties owned by the Union Territory outside J&K during the 2024–25 fiscal year.
The expenditure covered repair, renovation and upkeep of J&K Houses and other assets in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Haryana.
The government, while responding to a query by a legislator, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), informed that these properties include prime assets such as J&K House on Prithviraj Road, J&K House at Chanakyapuri, and Kashmir House on King George Avenue in New Delhi.
Other properties include land at Dwarka, Shalimar Bagh, and a showroom on Baba Kharak Singh Marg housing the Kashmir Government Arts Emporium and J&K Industries Ltd offices.
In Amritsar, the government owns J&K House on Court Road spread over 19 kanals and another 15 kanals of land at Tapai Road that remains under litigation. In Haryana, 1251 kanals and 4 marlas of land at Sirsa are also under dispute. The government also owns a property at Sector 17-A, Chandigarh, which is being developed as a guest house and several properties in Mumbai, including land and a duplex flat at Napen Sea Road and a state guest house in Navi Mumbai.
According to the data, Rs 6.49 crore expenditure was incurred to improve the condition of these assets, many of which required extensive repair work. However, the government clarified that no funds have been utilized so far during the ongoing financial year 2025–26 for the same purpose.
Allotment procedures for J&K’s guest houses outside the UT, the government said are handled transparently and in a non-discriminatory manner by the Manager (In-charge) and the Additional Resident Commissioner as per prescribed guidelines—(KNO)