C.P.Joshi takes stock of the report of the ‘Committee on State Agrarian Relations and the Unfinished Task in Land Reforms’

Press Information Bureau Government of India ***** C.P.Joshi takes stock of the report of the 'Committee on State Agrarian Relations and the Unfinished Task in Land Reforms'   New Delhi : October 14, 2009   Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Dr. C.P.Joshi has assured the members of the 'Committee on State Agrarian Relations and the Unfinished Task in Land Reforms' for a considerate thought on the recommendations contained in the report prepared by the Committee. Dr. Joshi was chairing the 4th meeting of the Committee held in Krishi Bhawan recently. The meeting of the Committee was called to discuss the core issues highlighted in the report of the Committee.   Dr. Joshi emphasized the need to concentrate and address the core issues like redressal of anomalies in different Land Ceiling and Tenancy Acts of various States, proper survey of land, protection of community lands, correct demarcation of Forest Lands, settling Tribal Land disputes and implementation of Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA in brief) and stressed for a consensus on such issues as Land comes under the purview of the State Governments.   A presentation highlighting criticality of access to land not diminished but enhanced, transfer of land for non-agricultural use, land management in North–East, tenancy issues, land use, common property resources, land record management, land ceiling, distribution of Bhoodan Land, tribal land alienation and related issues was also made during the meeting and provision for concrete guidelines and time bound action plan for proper management of land records was mooted.   Among the members participating in the meeting included Shri B.K.Sinha, Director General NIRD, Prof. Praveen Jha, Shri R.C. Verma, Shri Subhash Lomte, Shri Jagadananda, Ms. Neelima Khetan, Shri Ram Dayal Munda, Dr. C. Ashokvardhan, Shri D. Bandyopadhyay, Shri Ramesh Sharma and Dr. T. Haque. ****** AKT/ST/SAK/spandey                PIB Kolkata