HARYANA FORMULATES A POLICY TO CREATE LAND BANKS FOR FARMERS

CHANDIGARH

In a bid to prevent distress sale of land by farmers, Haryana Government has provided an option to the farmers by formulating a policy to create land banks for Government Departments, Boards and Corporations. Under this Policy, the farmers can first submit their proposal to the government as a potential buyer. Along with this, farmers can also advise the state government for selecting a site for the development project at a particular place.

A decision to this regard was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal here today. This policy may be called the Policy for Creating Land Bank for the Government Department. Three Committees namely, Land and Rate Scrutiny Committee, Land Bank Committee High Powered Land Bank Committee would be constituted for ensuring the successful implementation of the said Policy.

It is observed that landowners at times have to make distress sales of their land especially those living abroad due to slump in the market or due to pandemic, the pressure of the middle-man in the market or various plethora of reasons.

As a result, the State Government has been experiencing a lot of difficulty in making land available to the various Departments of the State to cater day to day needs especially in providing land for essential services that is waterworks, power sub-stations, colleges and other specialized institutions of higher learning including universities, medical colleges and other hospitals and polytechnics etc. The unutilized land of various Government Departments and their entities that is Boards and Corporations shall be clubbed at one place under the Revenue and Disaster Management Department as a Nodal Department.

In the Haryana Evacuee Properties (Management and Disposal) Act, 2008 (Haryana Act No. 7 of 2008) and the Haryana Evacuee Properties (Management and Disposal) Rules, 2011, there is a provision of Sale through negotiation to any Department of the State Government, Boards and Corporations.

To prevent distress sale of land by farmers, it shall be optional for the farmers to apply on the online portal of the Director Land Records.