Uttarakhand may announced new land use policy

The Uttarakhand government may soon announce its new land use policy after ordering a fresh measurement of the land of the state. The exercise, popularly known as land bandobast, will help update land records made 50 years ago when the state was part of Uttar Pradesh.

The Uttarakhand government may soon announce its new land use policy after ordering a fresh measurement of the land of the state.

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The exercise, popularly known as land bandobast, will help update land records made 50 years ago when the state was part of Uttar Pradesh.

The indication to this effect was given by chief minister Harish Rawat while addressing media persons in the state capital on Saturday.

The chief minister said he had already ordered setting up of a committee of experts to study the existing land rules and the possibility of changes later on the basis of the land measurement results. The committee would comprise "experts on land rules, eminent lawyers and former judges.”

He said, “The move would also help facilitate a judicious distribution of land among the landless and the below poverty line (BPL) families.”

Rawat said, "However, before we strategise a policy, it is necessary to ascertain land distribution among the forest department, village bodies and other stakeholders as there was a huge confusion on that count."

But, he remained tightlipped when asked whether he would defer the move if the public opinion was unfavourable.