G Noida authority set to verify land records of 1,451 farmers
The Greater Noida authority will verify the land documents of farmers who are eligible for residential plots against their land that has been acquired for infrastructure projects. The verification is being done to identify eligible farmers after allegations of corruption in the process of leasing back the plots to ineligible farmers, sources said.
The Uttar Pradesh government carried out a detailed probe into the allegations of corruption where ineligible farmers got residential plots through the leaseback process in 2009-10.
After the probe, the state government directed the Greater Noida authority to execute the ‘lease back’ of residential plots to eligible farmers after proper verification of documents.
On the basis of a probe by the special investigation team (SIT) that was formed in 2018, the UP government in September 2021 directed the authority to leaseback the residential plots to a
total of 1,451 farmers.
“We have asked all farmers to submit their documents so that
the authority can examine them and take necessary action,” said Ritu Maheshwari, the chief executive officer (CEO), Greater Noida authority.
A total of 1,451 farmers of 32 villages are eligible for the residential plots through the leaseback process. The authority leased back the plots so that farmers can avail them for their use, said officials.
The authority is organising camps for the verification process from 12pm to 2pm at its Knowledge Park-iv administrative office on November 21, 23, 25, 28, 29, 30, December 2 and 5 for the farmers of the 32 villages. The farmers need to submit the details of their land records along with identity cards, land acquisition papers, proof of land acquired, total area acquired by the authority and other details.
Following complaints in 2017, then divisional commissioner (Meerut) Dr Prabhat Kumar in June 2017, appointed Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (Yeida) to conduct a probe into the alleged scam.
The case dates back to 2009-10 when residential land was allegedly leased back to people from different states who were allegedly not farmers.
“Action must be taken against those involved in this scam. Farmers who are eligible for the plots should not be made to wait for indefinite time,” said Vijay Singh, a farmer from Khanpur village.