The State Govt is readying drafts for Land Pulling Act and Regional Investment Act that will be tabled in the state Assembly during the Winter Session. The CS to finalise the drafts in today’s meeting.
Taking a cue from the Indore Development Authority ( IDA), the State Government has decided to acquire farmland for industrial projects through consensus and partnership offers. For this, the government is preparing a draft of Land Pulling Act, which will be tabled before the Assembly in the upcoming winter session. The final discussion on the draft would be held in a meeting to be chaired by R Parasuram, chief secretary, on Monday. As per information, the Act proposes acquisition of farmland through consensus.
It has provision for doing partnership with farmers for their lands. As per partnership agreement, the farmers would give their land to the government, which will develop it. When developed, the government would return nearly half of the land to the farmers. Though half in size, the developed land in market costs higher than the value of undeveloped land the farmer had initially. The IDA had first implemented identical scheme for acquiring farm and other lands for its residential and development schemes.
Many farmers benefited because of the scheme as the developed land they got in return of their farmland had much higher value because of development on it and they got basic amenities for free against their land and growth caught up their locality fast. The Bhopal Development Authority had found the IDA’s scheme best suited for its acquisition projects and implemented the same in the state capital also. For acquisition of farmland for Bhopal airport project, the BDA had given up to 75 per cent partnership to the farmers. After the BDA, the IDA’s scheme drew attention of the State Government. It is said that Land Pulling Act is inspired by the IDA scheme only. An official said that under the act, the acquisition would be done mainly for industrial purpose.
“ For this, I will say that there is a provision for industrial township which will have three uses industrial, residential and commercial.” A clause of the Act says that the industrial township should be set up outside the city and industry limits mentioned in the city’s master plan. Another draft which will be discussed in the Monday’s meeting is of Region Investment Act. Through this act, an area up to 100 kilometer could be declared investment area. Of this area, 30 per cent would be for industries. This draft is pending for the last two years.
MPAKVN to get more teeth
Since the industry township will come out of city and industry limits mentioned in the master plan, MPAKVN would have all the rights to do development on acquired land. From approving site plans to building permissions which the Town and Country Planning and Municipal Corporation do respectively in the city limits would now be done by the AKVN. Besides, it will also have responsibility to develop infrastructure on the land and its maintenance. “ Work of collecting tax would also be done by the AKVN,” an official said.
