Non-agriculturist Manch seeks relaxation in sec 118

Non-agriculturist United Forum seeks suitable amendment in the section 118 of HP Land Reform and Tenancy Act to facilitate them to buy land in the state. delegation of Gair Krishak Ekta Manch met with Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur  under the chairmanship of Girish Sahni and submitted a memorandum, demanding to amended the section so that they could start Agricultual, Commerical and Industrial venture to earn  their livilihood . They requested the government that before the implementation of Section-118 of the H.P. Tenancy and Land Reforms Act 1972, there were only two categories (1) shopkeepers or businessmen residing in the state (2) people working in government and non-government sectors.  The Act is applicable only to those who were living in the state before the implementation of the Act and serving the state from generation to generation.  Therefore, relief should be provided to them in the same way as in section-118(2) of the said Act applicable on  many classes such as (a) landless laborers (b) landless scheduled castes or tribes (c) rural artisans (d)  Landless who do allied work. The delegation also apprised  representatives  of the Opposition party l conveying their demand. The opposition also accepted the demand and an MLA had written a letter to the Chief Minister to accept it.  Non Agricultutist residing in the state for many decades also sought to bring a amendment in the section during upcoming  monsoon session of the state Legislative Assembly. The Employees and businessmen who are domicile of state but being non Agricultutist couldn’t buy lands without taking exemption from state council of ministers . If state would include them in above three categories already included in section 118(2) they could buy lands and build houses without wrangling in bureacratic trap of seeking permission under section 118 which is usually given to them. The Chief Minister was also apprised that the forum is not against Section-118 of the above Act, but Section-118 of the Tenancy Act should be applicable only to those who have come or came to the State after the implementation of the Tenancy Act in the State.  

 Chief Minister have given patient hearing  to their demand but sofar government did not give attention. It is worthwhile to mention that state council of ministers decided to amend a proviso this section in upcoming Assembly monsoon season to allow or permit relaxation given to real-estate and commerical entities to complete their project in five years instead of three years. Now if council of ministers exempt section 118 on the non Agriculture land they could allowed to complete such Project till five years earlier to this there is a stringent provision in this act to vest such Project or land with the state governments if Project couldn’t completed within three years.