Uttarakhand relaxes land laws
› ...outsiders can purchase farmland in the nine hill districts without facing legal restrictions
MADAN KAUSHIK , Cabinet minister
DEHRADUN :In a decision aimed to facilitate investments in the hills of Uttarakhand, the Cabinet gave its nod to an ordinance under which laws have been relaxed for conversion of farmland to commercial land ahead of the two-day investors summit beginning Sunday.
“As per the ordinance, outsiders can purchase farmland in the nine hill districts without facing legal restrictions,” minister Madan Kaushik said while briefing reporters about the decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister TS Rawat late on Friday evening.
“Investors can purchase even beyond 12.5 acres of farmland in the hills for commercial use, an earlier ceiling imposed by the land laws,” Kaushik said, referring to the amended ordinance based on the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act.
The nine hill districts where investors would be able to avail of relaxations in conversion of farmland to commercial land are Pithoragarh, Uttark- ashi, Chamoli, Champavat, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri and Almora.
Land conversions “would be approved at the level of district magistrates only after a mutual consent” between farmers and investors.
“That means after the land conversion approved by district magistrates, investors would not require to seek permission of other departments,” Kaushik said.
He clarified that the ordinance doesn’t permit relaxation in conversion of farmland to commercial land in the plain districts.
“For instance, investors would not be entitled to such a facility in some of the administrative blocks in Dehradun,” he said, referring to Vikasnagar, Doiwala, Sahaspur and Raipur in Dehradun.
Relaxation is not allowed in the Ramnagar and Haldwani administrative blocks in Nainital district.
“Similarly, relaxation in conversion of farmland to commercial land will be prohibited in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts,” Kaushik said.
The Opposition Congress suggested that the government observe caution while implementing the ordinance.
“Caution needs to be observed while relaxing land laws for the corporate groups because our past experience has not been good. There will always be a risk of the precious agricultural land being misused by the corporate groups,” state Congress leader Surendra Kumar said.