Panchayat Land: Day on, Rural Department reverts to old norms for auction

Chandigarh, May 2

Taking cognisance of a news report highlighting how the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has made amendments to the auction process for the panchayat land that went against the Dalits’ right on one-third share, the department has asked the District Development Project Officers (DDPOs) to carry out auction as per the old instructions, wherever required.

Protect rights

The government should amend the Act to incorporate the 2018 instructions, so that Dalits’ rights are protected permanently. Mukesh Malaud, president, zameen prapti sangharsh commmitee

In the report, it was highlighted how the department had dropped an important norm of holding auction for one-third reserved panchayat land on a different day and only in a Dalit locality. The condition was incorporated in 2018 following a long struggle by the community in the Malwa belt.

Joginder Kumar, Joint Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, said they kept changing the instructions as per the requirement. “Our main concern is auctions should take place in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said. The department had instructed all DDPOs to ensure auction norms be amended as per the local demand, he said.

However, Mukesh Malaud, president, Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Commmitee, said the Dalits’ rights over panchayat land had been protected in the Constitution. “It should not be at the mercy of department official. The government should amend the Act to incorporate the 2018 instructions, so that Dalits’ rights are protected permanently,” he said.