Shimla: Communist Party of India (Marxists) lamb blasted the government’s for its move to convert leasehold land into freehold saying that this would only serve the interests of big houses and against the marginal landholders in the state.
CPI (M) member secretariat Tikender Panwar said, only big houses had taken land on lease for running of universities, cement plants, industries and hydro projects.
By converting such leases into freehold would dilute the provisions of section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, he said.
He alleged that initially the BJP government had leased out government land to private players against the law and now was handing it over them, who would become de facto owners.
This would also jack up land prices and real estate speculators would earn huge profits, said Panwar.
The party says that BJP since coming into office has been trying to allow real estate speculators gain by deliberately diluting the provisions of the state land laws.
State land law does not allow a non state resident to buy any agriculture land and for setting up a industry government permission is necessary, he said.
The party has asked the government to desist from this move as it was against the interests of the hill people, where scarcity of land was being acutely felt.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
