Tuesday, 06 September 2022 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Committee headed by former CS Subhash Kumar submits its report on amending land laws to CM
Paving the way for much talked about amendments in the existing land laws in Uttarakhand the committee formed by the State government on land laws and reforms submitted its report to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday. The CM said that the State government would consider the recommendations of the committee and amend the existing land laws in the greater interests of the State and people. In its 80-page report the committee headed by the former chief secretary Subhash Kumar has made 23 recommendations to the government.
The committee has recommended inclusion of some provisions of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh land laws in the prevalent Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh) Zamindari Abolishment and Land reforms Act 1950 in the State. The committee in its report has said that in many cases it has been found that land purchased for agriculture and horticulture purposes is misused by making resorts or private bungalows and has recommended that the power of allowing sale of land for agricultural purposes should be taken away from district magistrates and handed over to State administration. Similarly the power of approval of purchase of land for setting up small, micro and medium industries should also be taken away from DMs.
The committee has recommended abolition of the prevalent provision of allowing persons, firms and companies for purchase of land in excess of 12.05 acres in mountainous and plain areas for setting up educational, health and Ayush institutes, horticulture and food processing units. The committee has opined that in such cases the practice of Essentiality Certificate (EC) used in Himachal Pradesh should be adopted in Uttarakhand. It added that purchase of land should be allowed only for major industries, four and five star hotels, resorts, multi speciality hospitals, vocational and professional institutes on the basis of EC and for other purposes the land should be provided only on lease. The committee said that at present the SDMs have the power of change of land use from agricultural to non agriculture purposes under section 143 of the Act with a rider that the said land would be taken over by the government if the buyer fails to use the land for the purpose mentioned at the time of buying the land. However the land use of such land is not reverted back to agriculture land. The committee recommended that a new subsection should be added in the Act for converting the unused non agricultural land to agricultural land. The committee has further recommended that one person should not be allowed to buy more than 250 square metres of land for residential purposes in his lifetime for himself and his family. The document of the committee calls for redefining the landless category and right of way in the State.
It will be recalled that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had constituted a high level committee in July last year for suggesting changes in the existing land laws. The committee is headed by former chief secretary Subash Kumar while the chairman of Badrinath Kedarnath Temple committee (BKTC) Ajendra Ajay, former IAS officers Arun Dhoundhiyal and DS Gabriyal are its members. The former revenue secretary Deependra Chauhdhary is its member secretary. The committee held consultations with experts and stakeholders and has submitted its report in which it has tried to strike a balance between increasing investment opportunities and preventing uncontrolled sale-purchase of land in Uttarakhand.
