By Sri Varshith Kumar Reddy E

Kashmir’s economic problem has often begun with a simple question: Who owns this land, where did this product come from, and can a buyer trust the answer? 

Those questions have cost investors time, weakened artisan incomes and complicated the sale of products whose names carry global recognition. 

Blockchain cannot solve Kashmir’s disputes or manufacture credibility, but it can make records harder to alter and claims easier to verify. 

J&K has begun that experiment. Its next step should be turning scattered government applications into a deliberate economic strategy.

The clearest example lies in the land registry. 

The administration has expanded its blockchain-based digital land records system to Srinagar after an earlier rollout in Jammu. Tourism-heavy areas are especially important because boutique hotels, homestays and eco-resorts are drawing fresh investor interest. 

The Srinagar system also connects with GIS mapping, giving planners a combined picture of ownership and land use. 

A prospective buyer can examine an ownership history digitally rather than spend months assembling information from paper records and court proceedings. 

Such verification can change how investors calculate risk before committing capital.

The same logic applies to Jammu and Kashmir’s products. 

Saffron, Basmati rice, Bhaderwah Rajmash and five other agricultural products already hold geographical indication status, while Kashmir Ambri apple and Kashmiri pheran are among products moving toward GI recognition. 

The administration has also announced QR-code labels for GI-tagged crafts, recording the manufacturer, artisan identity and........

© Kashmir Observer