Shimla, Aug 10
Himachal Pradesh Government today introduced a legislation to amend the two provisions of Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holding Act 1972 putting riders on sale, purchase, gift, exchange, lease, mortgage of ceilings and change of land use. Revenue minister Mahinder Singh Thakur introduced the bill in the house after the question hour stating that the amendment was brought with the objective of promoting tea industry in the state, lands under tea estates were exempted from the operation under clause (g) of the act.
” Presently sections 6-A and 7-A of the Act provide for change of land use and transfer of land under the tea estate respectively with the prior permission of the Govt.”
” It has been observed that the land under the tea estate have been invariably used for purposes other than tea plantation or have been transferred by way of sale etc by resorting to these provisions which is against the spirit and intention of the legislation.”
” In order to address the issue a high powered committee was constituted and members of the legislative assembly from all political parties were included. The said committee had given recommendations to promote the tea industry in the state. They noted that there is a need to amend the Act in Sec 6-A and 7-A, so as to discourage change of land use and transfer of lands under the tea estate there by way of sale etc.”
In case of such violation the provisions of the Act with regard to vesting of land with the Government, free from all encumbrances shall come into operation, added the minister.
New legislation which would be discussed in the house now provide Sec 6-A of Himachal Pradesh Ceiling of Land Holding Act 1972 the works and figures irrespective of its being the excess of the permissible area under the section 4 and without the permission of state government shall be omitted.
In the sec-7-A of the Principal Act the words except with the permission of the state government shall be omitted, he said.
Now the state Government would be free from all encumbrances and such land shall be treated as surplus area under the new provisions.
Presently Sec -6 -A is change of land under tea estates and Sec 7-A, would bar the transfer of land under tea estates and Indian registration Act 1908 except with the permission of state government.
