Govt’s ‘imprudent’ distribution of land to big names: Cong MLA demands remeasurement of land
“In the name of development, we have made imprudent distribution of land to big names,” the Porbandar MLA said, adding that no such discretion is being practised when it comes to providing small housing plots to the poor.
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"Now, the well-planned management has been spoiled and such management has been done that day-by-day fights and litigations have increased,” Modhwadia said. (Facebook/ Arjun Modhwadia)Senior Congress leader and Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia Friday demanded remeasurement of land in the state alleging that the planned management of land that Gujarat got as a result of land reforms have been spoiled by the state government because of which fights and litigations have increased.
“We got the benefit of land reforms first in Saurashtra (of Gujarat). Now, the well-planned management has been spoiled and such management has been done that day-by-day fights and litigations have increased,” Modhwadia said, speaking in the Assembly while participating in a discussion on budgetary demands of various departments, including revenue.
On the village gauchar land (village grazing land), he said, “We have 18,000 villages of which 9,029 have less gauchar land than required. We cannot increase it. There are 2,303 villages where there is zero gauchar (land). Yet, we sell crores of square metre of land while giving it to industries at throwaway prices. We give government land as well in that manner”.
The MLA added that as per the situation prevailing in March 2022, more than 103 crore square metre government waste land, gauchar land etc. were given to industries on rent or through sale. He added that 18 lakh square metre forest land has been given to industrial houses.
“In the name of development, we have made imprudent distribution of land to big names,” the Porbandar MLA said, adding that no such discretion is being practised when it comes to providing small housing plots to the poor.
He also referred to a litigation before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) following which a survey was carried out in Olpad and Choryasi talukas of Surat district after which it was found out that 4,039 hectares were encroached upon by shrimp ponds. Modhwadia said that if the land of shrimp ponds is necessary, then it should be regularised by the government.
He also alleged that the meetings of the district land committees do not happen for years. “I have been saying it repeatedly and saying it today as well. Get the land measurement redone without making it an issue of prestige. It will do welfare for the entire state.”
Refuting Modhwadia’s allegations on gauchar land, incharge revenue minister Balvantsinh Rajput said, “With concern over gauchar land, the revenue department had fixed its Gauchar Policy in April 2015. Under that, not an inch of gauchar land decreases. Even if gauchar land has to be used, then we do so while compensating it with government waste land. So, if someone says that (gauchar) land is decreasing, then it is not correct under any circumstances.”
Lauding the revenue services of Gujarat while expressing the state government’s commitment in the smooth management of land, Rajput said the state government has taken care of providing revenue services in a transparent and speedy manner. He added that for its best revenue services, Gujarat has got many awards and felicitation, including Bhoomi Sammaan award of the Union government.
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