Blow to farmers

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 5: The state government has brought reforms in the existing land regime to arrange acres required for upcoming industries. It will enable a member of a joint family to sell his share of land without even consulting his family members.

The reforms, which allow consolidated agricultural land to be fragmented and sold in pieces by enabling a member of joint family to dispose of his share, is likely to hit farmers’ interests.

“While the law will suit the needs of industrial houses and builders, it will affect the interest of farmers. The farmers will be swayed by market force and will not be able to resist the immediate allurement. They will sell their land. The government must answer for whom they are working,” said leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh.

The earlier Odisha Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation of Land Act, 1972, provided for consolidation of agricultural land and prevented fragmentation of land to ensure development of agriculture in the state.

According to Section 34 of the act, fragmentation of consolidated land is not permissible except by way of sale to government or to landowners of the adjacent chaka (consolidated patch). This was amended in the Assembly last night, allowing fragmentation of consolidated agricultural land and its sale.

“It will help people sell their land,” said revenue minister, Surya Naryan Patro.

The ongoing industrialisation process has already affected the land use pattern. “The agricultural land holding has been reduced by 4.22 lakh hectares,” said another member from the Opposition in the Assembly.

Earlier, the state boasted 61.8 lakh acres of agricultural land.

Agricultural land has been squeezed for industrial purposes over the years, while forestland have also been diverted. In the last 12 years, 15,000 acres have been diverted for various purposes, including establishment of industries.

The per capita availability of cultivated land was 0.39 hectares in 1950-51, which has declined to 0.13 hectares in 2007-08. “The further assessment is yet to be done,” said an official of state revenue department.

The state government has so far signed 89 MoUs, including 50 in steel and mine sectors. It also claims that investment to the tune of about Rs 6 lakh crore is in the pipeline, out of which Rs 2 lakh crore have already been invested. However, after the state government drew flak for trying to arrange land for industrialists, it has left the job to private players.

Builders have earlier found themselves caught on a sticky wicket as they were unable to purchase land particularly from farmers on the outskirts of the city and across the state.

President of Odisha Real Estate Developers’ Association Anup Mohapatra said: “The amendment will help builders purchase land for housing projects. Both buying and selling of land will become easier from now.”

Patro also said: “Population growth in urban areas has tremendously increased demand for homestead plots in and around urban areas. With urbanisation, many villages, including those in which (land) consolidation has been completed, have been covered under various development authorities and special planning authorities.”

“If fragmentation of holding in such areas is not allowed, it will hamper urbanisation, causing hardship to people for homestead land. They were also deprived of the right to sell/transfer and split the chaka ( consolidated) land in times of need,” he said.