The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Govt of India has categorized farmers into different groups like large, medium, semi medium, small and marginal. As per the official statement issued by the Ministry through Press Information Bureau on February 5th 2019, the farmers who own more than 10 hectares (200 kanals +) of agricultural land fall in the large agricultural landholding category. Those who own 4 to 10 hectares (80 to 200 kanals) come under the medium category. Then we have a semi medium category of 2 to 4 hectares ( 40 to 80 kanals). Another category of farmers is “small”. This is a large group of Indian farmers who own between 1 to 2 hectares ( 20 to 40 kanals) of land. The last category is marginal farmers who own below one hectare of land i.e. less than 20 kanals.
The number of small and marginal agricultural land holdings in the country also called the operational holdings has registered an increase in 2015-16 compared to 2010-11 agriculture census. This is a clear indication that there are more people who now own smaller parcels of agricultural land in the country and the land is shrinking day by day because of population growth and urbanisation.
As per Govt of India data, more than 86% agriculture land owners are small and marginal farmers in India. In a massive country like India, only 9 % of people own large parcels of land and they are categorized as large farmers.
As per official records, the Nagaland state has the biggest average size land holding in India i.e. 4.9 hectares (almost 100 kanals) / farming family. The reason for such a huge land holding is the small population in this state i.e. 1.5 million (15 lakhs) while the land area of the state is 1.7 million hectares. Kerala has the lowest land holding in the country as per 2015-16 agriculture census. This is merely 0.18 hectares (3.55 kanals)/family.
Below Marginal farmers of J&K
When it comes to Jammu & Kashmir, the average operational land holding is 0.59 hectares ( 11.6) kanals as per 2015-2016 census. But as per my own research and inputs from officers of Agriculture and Revenue departments, this is an exaggerated figure only to get more funds from Govt of India in the past decades. The average land holding in J&K would have been not more than 0.25 hectares ( 5 kanals) in the 2015-2016 agri census. This has gone down further after 2019 as Ladakh was separated from J&K and land holding there was more than what we have in Kashmir valley of Jammu division. I am of the firm belief that our land holding is less than Karela i.e. not more than 3 kanals. Being a mountainous state and with very little land under cultivation the agricultural holdings in J&K particularly in Kashmir are smaller than the national average, but the yield from our land is more especially the apple orchards fetch more revenue to farmers compared to other states / UTs.
Rajouri -Poonch -Baramulla Highway
The Govt of India is planning to build a highway from Rajouri to Baramulla that will pass through Poonch, Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts. The work on this 300-km highway is going to be taken up in some months. The Govt has handed over this road construction to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) . On 28th October 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), through its Regional Officer in Jammu, assigned the task of engaging a consultant to provide Project Management Consultancy (PMC) services. This includes conducting a feasibility study, preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), providing pre-construction services, and overseeing construction work.
The proposed highway will pass through mountains and forests of Rajouri, Thamanadi, Surankot, Bufliaz and enter Shopian district after crossing Pir Gali and then pass via Kellar ,Yousmarg, Doodhpathri, Beerwah and Magam. Media reports say that from Magam, the proposed highway will be connected with Gulmarg and Baramulla. The highway will be built at an estimated cost around Rs 3,300 crore, and will link the Rajouri and Poonch districts in the Jammu division with the Kashmir Valley via the existing Mughal Road. This 70 feet highway is being designated as National Highway-NH 701A. The section between Surankote (Poonch) to Magam in Budgam will be 159 km long and will pass through tourist destinations of Yousmarg and Doodhpathri that fall under the Pir Panjal Forest division of Budgam.
Impact on Biodiversity, Livelihood
The proposed highway will be disastrous as this will impact the entire biodiversity in the upper reaches of Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts. Thousands of apple trees would have to be axed for this project in more than two dozen villages in Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts. It will affect the livelihood of thousands of families who are associated with apple farming in villages such as Zawoora, Moshwara, Kellar, Shadimarg, Drubgam, Aglar, Gujjar Basti, Chararipora, Pakherpora , Kanidajan, Drawan, etc .
More than this, the impact on forests and environment would be huge in the Pir Panjal Forest division especially the Doodh Ganga forest range – Yusmarg, Raithan forest range – Doodh Pathri , Sukhnag Forest Range in Arizal Beerwah. Thousands of Kail, Fir and Deodar trees would be axed, fresh water streams would be plundered to excavate riverbed material -RBM and hundreds of acres of pastureland would be damaged. The Herpora wildlife century in Shopian will also get impacted, which is known for spiral horned Markhor (wild goat) population. This wildlife century was disturbed already with the construction of Mughal Road 20 years back and now it will be further affected with this new highway project.
Impact on Tribal Population, Pastoralists
The highway from Shopian to Beerwah especially will directly impact the livelihood of hundreds of tribal -pastoralist families from Gujjar , Bakerwal and Chopan communities. Their livelihood is at stake as the new highway will pass through their traditional meadows and pasturelands which they use for grazing their cattle, sheep and goats in summer months. The highway will either pass through south or north of Yusmarg bowl and from both sides the proposed highway will have to traverse through the dense forests of Doodh Ganga forest range. Thousands of forest trees would have to be cut down. After crossing Yusmarg and Doodh Ganga the road will enter Raithan forest range and pass via Doodhpathri forests. This entire area with meadows like Haijan, Surakhnari, Palmaidan will be ruined. The Gujjars , Bakerwals and Chopans during their seasonal migration graze their animals in the aforementioned meadows and forests. Once huge cranes and trucks start the construction work it will destroy the entire landscape of the area that will snatch the livelihood of these nomads and other disadvantaged communities who had been waiting to get the benefits under the Forest Rights Act-FRA. Before they could get these benefits they are now facing a larger challenge which will destroy their traditional migratory routes and meadows.
Doubling Income of Farmers?
The average size of operational land holdings in India is 1.15 hectares (21 kanals +) and our farmers own less than half acre of land. For the farmers of J & K, the Govt of India has to devise a new definition because our farmers are not even the marginal farmers as they own less than an acre of land ? 95% of farmers in Kashmir are the below the marginal farmers metric. In such a situation, it is the prime duty of the Government to protect the interests of the farming community in Jammu & Kashmir especially Kashmir valley. But what we see is that the Govt is planning to further take over the land from Kashmir’s below marginal farmers and build highways, railways and roads on them. For construction of the Srinagar Ring Road we lost 5000 kanals of agricultural land in Budgam district alone. Thousands of apple and plum and pear trees were axed. Those which were left are rusting with dust pollution. How can we afford to give more and more land for so-called developmental projects?
Horticulture is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. Around 80% of apples produced in India come from Kashmir. Commercial apple farming and its value chain is one of the mainstays of Kashmir’s rural economy, with an estimated revenue of around Rs.1500 crores. Govt estimates say that around 10 to 11 Metric Ton (MT) of apple is produced per hectare in Kashmir, while this is 40 MT per hectare in European countries, like France and Italy. The South American nation Chile, which is 10th largest apple producing country in the world, has better ranks than Italy, France, Russia, when it comes to the yield. The Chile per hectare yield of apples is 50 MTs. To enhance the apple yield in Kashmir and to double farmers income which is PM Modi’s dream we need more apple plantations which need more land. But when the Govt is prioritising highways and railways to be set up on our apple farms and forest land, how can we expect to double the farmers income in J&K which is possible when we increase the apple production or have more sheep , goat and cattle population across J&K ? Member Parliament from Srinagar Aga Ruhulla also raised this issued in Lok Sabha few days back and said “this is not a developmental project but a colonial project”
Conclusion
Kashmir is a small valley with a plain area of 150 kms x 70 kms max from Kupwara in the north to Qazigund in south and Tral in east to Tangmarg in west. In this valley we have already set up several highways , railway lines , flyovers , mega transmission lines and other infrastructural projects. We have set up new housing colonies and even filled our wetlands for the same because of population growth in the last 3 decades. Our land is shrinking day by day and the agricultural land holding is not more than half acre as explained above. The cement factories , brick kilns and surface transport are causing massive air pollution and there is a huge increase in black carbon emissions in our atmosphere. This is settling on our glaciers as well and I have written about in past as well. Now imagine when hundreds of vehicles will pass through the forests of Pir Panjal between Shopian, Yusmarg and Doodhpathri, what kind of disaster will it cause to our glaciers which are our lifeline ?
We don’t have space to set up a scientific landfill site for Srinagar city or other towns ? In such a situation if we make new highways and railways our landmass will further shrink. How can we expect our valley will survive for many centuries to come and our tourism will sustain for a long time. If we try to replicate the developmental model of Delhi , Mumbai or Indore in Kashmir , we will perish in another 30 to 40 years. Let us all think it over.
- Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
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