Chandigarh, October 14
The Punjab Government has decided to allot land in occupation and cultivation of small and marginal farmers for more than 12 years to such farmers against a reasonable pre-determined price.
A decision to this effect was taken on Wednesday by the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The cabinet approved the Punjab (Welfare And Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020, thus 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.
The previous SAD-BJP government had, in 2016, enacted the Punjab Allotment of State Government Land Act 2016 (Punjab Act No. 54 of 2016) but not a single parcel of land was allotted to farmers under this Act. The incumbent government has thus decided to amend the law as a one-time welfare measure for small and marginal farmers.
CABINET DECIDES TO EMPOWER SUB/JOINT REGISTRARS
The Cabinet also decided to insert Clause A in Section 19 of Registration Act, 1908 to check certain shortcomings in the process of registration of documents by the government. The new clause will empower the Sub-Registrar and Joint Registrar of the State to not register documents that have legal shortcomings.
OKAYS AMENDMENT TO LAND REVENUE ACT
The Cabinet also gave approval to amend various sections of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, which currently has 158 sections (except its schedule), with the aim of simplifying the legislation and ensuring faster dispensation of justice. Under this Act, amendments have to be made in Appeal, Review and Revision and Mode of Service of Summons (Chapter 2) and Method of Partition (Chapter 9). The amendments are in line with the recommendations of the Revenue Commission.
APPROVES RS. 3.75 CR GRANT-IN-AID FOR 3 COLLEGES OF PATIALA SPORTS UNIV
The Cabinet has approved grant-in-aid to the tune of Rs.3.75 crore to three colleges of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Patiala. This includes Rs.1.50 crore for Prof. Gursewak Singh Government College of Physical Education, and Rs.1,12,50,000/- each to the Arts and Sports College, Jalandhar, and Government College, Kala Afgana. The amount is against maintenance and salary expenditure for these colleges for the remaining part of financial year 2020-21.
Apart from this, the Cabinet also approved Rs.1.50 crore as future grant-in-aid by the State Government every year to each for these three constituent colleges for maintenance and salary expenditure.
