Is Gujarat's 20% Payment Route a Solution to Unauthorised Land Issues?
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Key Takeaways
Gandhinagar, Feb 3 (NationPress) The government of Gujarat, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has revealed a key administrative initiative aimed at regularising unauthorised land possession concerning inami or granted lands, as reported by officials on Monday.
This initiative, announced by the Revenue Department of the state, seeks to facilitate the process for individuals with irregular land claims to align their titles with legal standards.
According to the new regulations, land that has been re-granted by the state but for which the possession fee remains unpaid can now be regularised with greater ease.
The department has also permitted individuals holding land eligible for re-grant but yet to receive it, for various reasons, to finalise the process under specific conditions.
Furthermore, heirs in unauthorised possession of such land, as well as individuals currently holding land that has been transferred but is now in the hands of a third party, may also gain from this initiative.
Officials indicated that a payment of 20% of the current jantri or official land value can be made to regularise the unauthorised possession of these lands.
This measure aims to mitigate procedural complexities and provide a pathway to legal title for affected individuals.
Discussing the ramifications of this decision, a Revenue Department official stated, “This framework has been created to support landholders who, despite being eligible for re-grant of inami lands, have not fulfilled the necessary formalities. The payment structure has been made more straightforward to promote compliance and regularisation.”
This decision follows discussions within the state administration and is part of broader efforts by the Gujarat government to enhance land record management and tackle persistent challenges related to land entitlement.
Representatives from farmers' organisations have welcomed this initiative, noting the struggles many smallholders face with complicated processes and financial obstacles in formalising land titles.
Experts in land policy have remarked that while regularisation schemes can hasten legal clarity, they must be executed transparently and in adherence to statutory guidelines to prevent potential disputes.
Implementation of the new guidelines is anticipated to commence in the upcoming weeks, with detailed procedures to be shared with district revenue offices throughout the state.