Govt seeks details of those with excess land

Deputy commissioners told to provide info

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

Ahead of the Assembly elections, the Congress government has sought details of those who own land beyond the permissible limit under the Land Ceiling Act.

The deputy commissioners have been asked by the Department of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management to provide details of all such persons at the earliest. The letter issued by the Department mentions a meeting of CM Channi with the joint front of Pendu and Khet Mazdoor Organisation on November 23. During the meeting, the CM had sought a list of residents having excess land as prescribed under the Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972.

The Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee had recently urged the CM that excess land with upper-caste rich farmers should be redistributed under the land ceiling law in Punjab. Seeking implementation of the Land Ceiling Act in the state, the committee had pointed out that two land reform laws were introduced in Punjab in 1952 and 1972, but Dalits, who comprise 33 per cent of the state population, got only 1.5-2 per cent of land. As per the Land Ceiling Act, one family can own only 17 acres, and the excess land should be redistributed.