Ownership rights for over 11,200 tillers in Punjab

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 9

President Droupadi Murmu has given her approval to a Punjab legislation which ensures title rights to more than 11,200 tillers occupying over 4,000 acres of land for generations, officials said today. The tillers will be given ownership after paying due compensation.

The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020, was passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2020 when the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government was in power. The officials said it was expected that the legislation would empower tillers of such land, mostly belonging to economically and socially weaker sections. These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of land for many years and inherit their rights by succession from generation to generation. However, since they are not registered owners, they neither have access to financial institutions for loan nor are eligible for relief in case of any natural disaster. They will now get all such benefits.

“A class of occupancy tenants has been vested with proprietary rights. However, a certain category of tenants was not vested with such rights,” another official explained, adding it was a step towards agrarian reforms.

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