Land ceiling amendment act sends to Select Committee

Himachal Pradesh Government decided to handed over the Himachal Pradesh Land ceiling amendment bill 2021 to select committee on the opposition of Cong, CPI(M) & BJP members in the Assembly here on Thursday .
After the question hours Revenue Minister Mehander Singh Thakur presented the bill for discussion and passing in Assembly but Cong Member Ashish Butail vehementaly opposed the legislation stating that intention of bill may be welcoming but he had few reservation about its clauses.
“We have challenged some provision and section  of HPCeiling and amended act 1972 in the court as matter is pending before  SC.” Mr Butail who belonged to main tea estate constituency Palampur said that  Kangra  valley tea  association filed this petition.
Member said that SC have issued notice to State about the provision of sec.  6-A and 7-A of afforsaid act for not permitting  land use Change in the permissioble area.
He said that state government have stated in an affidavit that there would be no need take permission for land use change for land owners in the permissiable limit.
“Since the matter is pending before the SC state have came out with amendment act in the Assembly proposing amendment in the section  6- A and 7- A, ” Mr Butail said during the discussion.
Introducing amendment in the legislation in the house he said that he wanted that  those who does not own excess area in the tea estate, having  small and permissible holding should be left out from its preview.
Opposing the Govt legislation Mr Butail said if this would be pass in present form state government will ceased  to control over the matter for ever.
He said that government should not pass this bill till court siezing over the matter as govt must have interferance in the matter as it would affect the interest of number of people belong to many area of  Kangra, Mandi and Chamba district in the state.
The goverment should not put the land of tea estate into non- allotable pool or ceased it’s ambit as it would no longer able to acquire or buy this land in the public interest for various developmental projects and building Institutions.
He informed that Sharvan Kumar University could not be at Palampur, if govt did not have control over the land ceiling act because it was open under present legislation Govt could:l have set up this University.
Member also said that Sec 4 of parent act clearly define the limit of Sec 6 and 7 of act as during transfer of such properties Goverment permission is required . 
State should also allow the small land owners under tea estate ownership to registeration of land and transfer in their families.

CPI(M) member Rakesh Singha said that he was part of this committee which was headed by revenue minister Mahender Singh all these issue had come for serious  discussion before the high power committee.
He said that he did not have any doubt over the intent of State to stop land use change since the matter was pending in SC,  if it is subjudice why legislation have been presented in the house, Mr Singha asked m
This legislation belonged to the two of Tea industry state Himachal Pradesh and Assam since British Raj and related to  existence of economy also plays important role even today.
 He said that  government wanted to promote tea industry by introducing the legislation, Mr Singha said.
“We are forgetting that under this act permissible aera was identified as it was defined in the parents act  Ten acre 20 acre 30 acre and 70 acre .
One is permissible and other is impermissible as the sec 7-A deal above permissible level and Goverment should have say to control the implementation of act.
He said that Palampur University is on tea estate land today as govt maintained it’s ambit on impremmisble land.
He said that passing the bill without addressing his and Butail amendment would be create an imbalance legislation in the greater interest of state.
If Govt didn’t want to accept their amendment this legislation should be sent to select committee of Vidhan sabha where this Land ceiling amendment legislation should be discuss clausevise again under the concerned members of Assembly along with leading lawyer of Himachal Pradesh High court and Parliamentary affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj.
BJP member Arun Kumar also demanded that it should be send to select committee as few small tea estate owners of his Assembly segment would be affected by the new legislation.
 He said that many owners of tea estate lands did not have enoguh land for the construction of houses should be exempted from its preview.
Latter Parliamentary affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj and Revenue Minister Mehander Singh Thakur agreed to send the legislation before Select Committee conceding to the request of members.
Ashish Butail also urged the speaker Vipin Singh Parmar and members of Assembly belonged to tea estate owners to be allowed to attend the proceedings of select committee to discuss the legislation in threadbare.