The Uttar Pradesh government is using the moment of the COVID19 lockdown to ease up on regulations in the name of introducing ‘reform.’ The Adityanath government first took the unprecedented step of suspending more than 30 labour laws, effectively reducing all safeguards for workers. Now, it has announced an amendment of the Revenue Code and decided to simplify acquisition of land in the state under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Again, the reason being given is ‘attracting investment’ in the state. The Economic Times reported that at a meeting held on May 28 between the state’s industries minister SatishMahana, chief secretary RK Tiwari as well as key officials of 18 other departments, it was suggested that auctioning of shuttered public sector undertakings (PSUs) that fall under both the industrial development department and other departments like sugar, as well as land under closed central PSUs , be undertaken to build a land bank. Reportedly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked for a plan for maintaining a land bank which will make it easier for international as well as domestic companies to invest.
The Financial Express reported that, at the meeting it was also decided that the development authorities of the housing and urban planning department will make all the plots in the state available on GIS and ensure real time updation.
Further the state government has decided to simplify the process of acquiring land within a distance of one kilometre each on either side of state’s expressways operated by the UP Industrial Development Authority. The government is also considering amending the revenue code to permit leasing of agricultural and for industrial units or parks while keeping the land use conversion fee from agricultural to industrial to a maximum of 15 to 20%.
Under the Right To Fair Compensation And Transparency In Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation And Resettlement Act, 2013 (Land Acquisition Act) consent of 80% landowners is required for private projects and a social impact assessment is necessary before any acquisition. Further, if the land being acquired is fertile land, the Government is bound to develop an equal size of wasteland for agriculture purpose.
According to a government spokesperson, the state government will also develop an electronic city near the Jewar International Airport for which a large land parcel will be acquired. The revenue department has been directed to immediately delegate rights for the early disposal of proposals received from industrial units for reclamation of land and exchange of land. A government spokesperson told Outlook India, “There are some major projects in progress like the Purvanchal Expressway and the Bundelkhand Expressway. In order to generate financial resources for these, it has been decided to develop land banks along the expressways. Other industrial development authorities have also been asked to look at similar options for generating revenue.”
A similar move came from another state ruled by the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP). Early in May, Karnataka decided to dilute Land Reforms Act, 1961 to allow industries to buy land directly from farmers. This was opposed by the All India KisanSabha (AIKS) whose General Secretary HannanMollah said this will promote corporate land grab and moreover take away safeguards against land accumulation by corporates.
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