The National Council for Land Reforms under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to meet in November to discuss the report of the committee on state agrarian relations and the unfinished task in land reforms set up under Rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad.
Among other things, the committee has mooted putting in place a land use policy and revival of the land use boards at the district level to ensure proper use of agrarian land and access of poor to common property resources (CPR).
?The members of the committee have visited most of the villages to get a first hand feel of the land issues on the ground before drafting the report. The report reflects the problems faced by the poor,? secretary, Rural Development ministry, Rita Sinha told FE.
Sinha, however, pointed that the Centre has been giving suggestions to the states on issues related to land repeatedly but land being a state subject, ‘the Centre can simply advice the state, it is for the state to initiate any action or take a decision’.
?The country needs a land use policy with proper perspective on CPR. We have also suggested creation of a fund to finance the district level land use boards which have become defunct and other land related reforms,? Neelima Khaitan, convener of the sub group on common property resources told FE.
The sub-group held 10 consultative meetings in 10 states. Some of the common problems in most of these states were ignorance about CPR, encroachments, and outdated land records maintained by the revenue departments and misuse of agricultural land, Vivek Vyas, another member of the sub-group said.
The draft report includes suggestions of the seven sub-groups that were set up under the committee to dwell at length on issues related to agrarian land and land reforms.
Officials in the ministry informed that a meeting to discuss the report was scheduled for October 23, but has been postponed until the next month by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The terms of reference of the committee, set up in January, included conducting in-depth review of the land ceiling progamme including status of distribution of land declared surplus, continued possession by rural poor of the allotted land and expeditious disposal of land declared surplus but held up due to litigations.
The report would include suggestions regarding recording all agricultural tenants and a framework to help cultivators lease in and lease out with assurances of fair rent, security of tenure and right to resumption of tenancy. The committee would also review the progress of distribution of Bhoodan land, examine issues relating to alienation of tribal lands including traditional rights of the tribal people dependant on forests, and suggest realistic measure including changes in legislations for restoration of such lands to the tribal populace.
Another important task of the committee would be to look into the land use aspects, particularly, agricultural land, and recommend ways to prevent or minimize conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. It would also suggest measures for modernization of land management with special reference to updating of land records, proper recording of land rights and speedy resolution of conflicts and disputes relating to land by examining the issue of fast track courts.