Ranchi, July 20: The governor’s advisory council today decided to scrap the Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1976, making vast swathes of land available in the capital as well as coal town Dhanbad.
The decision will also be applicable to Jamshedpur, but won’t make much of an impact since most acres in the steel city are under the Tata command area.
The land act was scrapped in order to meet one of the mandatory conditions to get funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM), which covers Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad.
Under the 1976 act, an individual could not possess more than 30 cottahs.
The Centre had repealed the law way back in 1999, and different states were expected to do the same through proposals passed by respective cabinets. Jharkhand had remained indifferent while several of its land revenue ministers were accused of misusing the defunct law for personal gain.
With today’s decision, all pending urban land ceiling disputes will end by default. As on date, over 232 land ceiling disputes are pending in Ranchi and another 239 such cases are pending in Dhanbad. However, those whose land has been acquired in the past will not be benefited.
Among other decisions, a Rs 15-crore incentive has been proposed for the industrial units. Twenty small-scale industrial units, 27 medium units and four mega units will be benefited. The ACC cement unit in Jhinkpani, Bihar Caustic Chemicals, JMT Auto Limited and Adhunik Alloys are likely to emerge as important beneficiaries of this decision.
The advisory council also resolved to forward a proposal to award iron ore mining lease to Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), without making any specific recommendation. It will solely be the Centre’s wisdom to decide whether JSPL should be granted mining lease.
The proposal envisages acquisition of 512 hectares in the Ghatkuri region of Saranda forest. The JSPL intends to secure the Jaraldaburu iron ore reserve.
“But the proposed land falls under reserved and protected forest areas. Forest laws stress on phasing out mining and industrial operations in the reserve and protected forest areas. There are also severe restrictions on beginning new projects. The advisory council has, therefore, decided to forward the case to the Centre without any recommendation,” conceded cabinet coordination department principal secretary Aditya Swaroop.
In another significant decision, the chief secretary has been directed to prepare a contingency plan for relief operations in case of a drought. Further, a proposal to purchase seeds from reputable central undertakings such as National Seed Corporation, NAFED, et al, involving expenses to the tune of Rs 56 crore, has been approved with retrospective effect.
Last, but not the least, the advisers want the JSEB chairman to function as TVNL chief too.
Swaroop said the decision had been taken to facilitate better co-ordination between the two power units owned by the state.
The council has also sanctioned Rs 30.69 crore for equipment for primary health centres and district hospitals under plan head.
