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Himachal Section 118: Section 118 Act is related to the purchase and sale of land in Himachal Pradesh and no non-Himachari can buy agricultural land in the state. In such a situation, the government wanted to lighten some provisions under this amendment. The Sukhu government has amended this section for the second time in its three-year tenure.
Ranbir Singh\Bichitra Sharma
Hospice. The winter session of the Legislative Assembly has ended in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Friday was the eighth and last day of the session. Meanwhile, the Sukhu government had introduced an amendment bill in Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reform Act in the Assembly yesterday, however, this amendment has not been passed and now it will be sent to the Select Committee. It is noteworthy that the bill could not be passed due to objections from the opposition.
This amendment bill was discussed in the House on Friday afternoon. During the discussion, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma said in the House that if this section is amended then outsiders will get the right to take the land on lease for 20 years and then the property will become expensive. People of the state will not be able to buy land and only people from outside will come to Himachal and buy expensive lands easily and an army of property dealers will be formed and then due to this, the lands of Himachal will start being sold indiscriminately.
Randhir Sharma said that the work they are doing to remove the word commitment to purchase agricultural land is opening a direct path for outsiders to enter Himachal and in the pursuit of revenue generation, this will lead to felling of trees in the state. Our water resources will be destroyed. The simple and rich culture of Devbhoomi will also suffer huge loss. He said that this should not be made a question of one’s reputation.
On the amendment bill of Section 118, CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu clarified the government’s intention regarding the amendment in the House. The CM accepted the suggestions of the opposition and said that this amendment bill will be sent to the select committee. On the request of the CM, the Speaker made this announcement and then the proceedings of the House were adjourned indefinitely.
What changes was the government making?
The government had decided that if 70 percent of the work on a project being built on land purchased under Section 118 is completed within five years, then the government will give one more time with extension penalty. At the same time, a provision was now being made in the bill that cooperative societies with 100 percent farmer members will not need approval under Section 118. In rural areas, outsiders will be able to take buildings on short-term lease and can do so for ten years. Apart from this, a provision was also made to give exemption for purchasing flats built by private builders. In this, approval will not be required under section 118.
