In view of the demand for strong land law rising across the state, the Dhami government is taking rapid steps in this direction. The high level draft committee constituted to examine the report of the committee formed earlier with the aim of making the land law strict has started the work. Special emphasis is being laid on the fact that the purpose for which land is purchased in the state, its use should be ensured within the stipulated time period. Not only this, before purchasing the land, along with verification of both the buyer and the seller, they will also give the proper reason for its purchase. Not only this, the government is also considering making the new system more stringent by abolishing the 12.5 acre ceiling implemented in the state. These days the issue of land law is a hot topic in the state. If we look back a little, this demand started arising right after Uttarakhand came into existence. However, at that time only the land law of Uttar Pradesh remained applicable in the state.
Initiative to tighten land law
In the year 2002, the first elected government led by Narayan Dutt Tiwari took the initiative to tighten the land law. Then the law related to this was amended that persons outside the state would be allowed to purchase up to 500 square meters of land for residential use. A conditional ban was imposed on the purchase of agricultural land. Along with this, apart from giving the DM the right to purchase agricultural land up to 12.5 acres in the state, it was made mandatory to obtain government permission for purchasing land for medical, health and industrial use. Then it was also amended that the purpose for which the land was purchased would be completed in two years. However, later the exemption for extension of period was also given.
Land law is being amended continuously
After the change of government in the state in 2007, the then Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri government reduced the permission for purchasing land from 500 square meters to 250 square meters. In the year 2017, during the tenure of the then Trivendra government, the land law was again amended. Then, in order to attract capital investment, the scope of land purchase for various uses including industrial was increased to more than 12.5 acres. Then there was opposition in the state and a demand was raised that strict land law should be implemented in the state like Himachal.
CM Dhami constituted a committee
Last year, current Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami constituted a committee under the chairmanship of former Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar with the aim of making the land law stricter. The committee studied the provisions related to land law and the amendments made from time to time and submitted its report to the government in September. 23 recommendations were made in this. The committee recommended that permission to purchase land given for agricultural or horticultural purposes is being misused, in such a situation permission should be given at the government level instead of the DM.
The draft will be submitted to the government
Other recommendations were made including giving permission for MSMEs on the basis of minimum land requirement, keeping the maximum limit of 250 square meters for residential purpose, keeping the maximum limit of three years for completing the purpose for which the land is given. Now that the demand for strict land law has again gained momentum, the government has constituted a draft committee to examine the report of the Subhash Kumar Committee. It will prepare the draft of the land law and submit it to the government.
