Chandigarh, October 21:
The condition of 12 years occupation and cultivation for allotment of land to small and marginal farmers was today reduced to 10 years in the ‘Punjab (Welfare and Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020, on the request of the Punjab Sports, Youth Services and NRI Affairs Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi during the concluding day of special Session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
During the discussion on ‘The Punjab (Welfare and Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020, which was tabled by the Revenue Minister in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said that if the condition of 12 year for the allotment is reduced to 10 years, it will directly benefit thousands more people of the border belt.
Referring to the economic condition of the people living in the border areas after migration from Pakistan at the time of partition, Rana Sodhi said that due to the 12 year condition, many people of the border areas would be deprived of the benefit. Therefore, the condition should be reduced to 10 years.
After getting consent from Chief Minister, the Revenue Minister Mr. Gurpreet Singh Kangar has allowed to amend the condition of land allotment under the bill. Later, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K.P. Singh also allowed amendment in support of the demand of Sports Minister Rana Sodhi.
Pertinent to mention here that the Punjab (Welfare and Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020 envisages allotment of land in occupation and cultivation of small and marginal farmers for more than 10 years to such farmers against a reasonable pre-determined price thereby ensuring protection of the interests of both the farmers and the state government. This farmer-friendly step would also go a long way toward settling pending litigations on this count.
