MLAs question land allotment to Sri Lankan cricketer in Jammu

Members of the J&K Legislative Assembly on Saturday questioned the “allotment” of land in Jammu’s Kathua district to a Sri Lankan cricketer. Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmad Dar told the House that the matter pertains to the revenue department and he has no such information.

The minister for agriculture production made the statement after CPM legislator MY Tarigami and Congress legislature party leader GA Mir raised their concerns on the issue during question hour.

"This is a matter related to the revenue department. We do not have any information, and we will look into it to know the facts," said Dar.

According to reports, former cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan's company, Ceylon Beverages, has been allotted 25.75 acres for a Rs 1,600-crore bottle-filling and aluminium can-manufacturing unit in Kathua.

Tarigami questioned the allotment of land "free of cost" without naming anyone and sought a reply from the government.

Intervening, Congress leader Mir also described the matter as "serious" and said this needed to be looked into as to how a non-Indian cricketer was provided land without having to spend a penny.

Earlier, the minister said the families having no land of their own are being provided five marlas of land for the construction of residential houses under PMAY.

"The land is provided subject to the verification by the revenue department," Dar said. (With PTI inputs)