The National Council for Land Reforms (NCLR), which held its maiden meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, proposed to launch a new scheme for “homestead rights to provide land for each homeless rural poor.” The council, which is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has also proposed to amend the SEZ Act, aiming to put a ban on exemptions on diversion of land in Scheduled Areas, populated by tribals.
Chairing the preparatory meeting of the non-official members of the NCLR, Mr Ramesh said that the amendments to the SEZ Act would also prevent transfers of common property and agricultural land for SEZ purposes. The meeting has also proposed to amend the Benami Transactions Act 1989 in view of monitoring evasion of ceiling laws through fraudulent land transactions.
After facing stiff criticism from various quarters, it was the first time that the government convened a meeting of the NCLR ever since its formation in 2008. After the meeting, Mr Ramesh asked the members to submit their suggestions on the proposals latest by Sunday after which it will be forwarded to the PMO. At the meeting, Mr Ramesh laid out an action plan for the Central government, which, among other things, seeks to conduct a survey of Bhoodan lands and establishment of land tribunals or fast-track courts to expedite the settlement of land related cases. Apart from the non-official members of the NCLR, the meeting was also attended by the secretaries of ministries such as rural development, environment and forests, panchayati raj, tribal affairs and social justice and empowerment.