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Bhoodan Act amended by Rajasthan Assembly

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Assembly has amended the Bhoodan Act amid protests from the Opposition to provide khatedari (ownership) rights to landholders in the “gram daan” villages. The amendment to the Rajasthan Bhoodan Yagna Act of 1954 follows a Cabinet decision this past January to provide ownership rights to holders who were under a different set of rules other than the prevailing land revenue rules in the State.

Revenue Minister Ramnarain Dudi, who piloted the Rajasthan Bhoodan Yagna Bill, 2008, in the Assembly, said the grantees under the Bhoodan Act had been demanding khatedari rights for a long time. Under Section 24 of the Bhoodan Yagna Act the holder of Bhoodan land was not entitled to transfer of “any interest on the land without the previous sanction of the Bhoodan Board,” he noted.

Congress members Pradhyumna Singh, Zuber Khan, Sanyam Lodha and CPI (M) member Amra Ram sought to point out the potential danger of providing khatedari rights to the land holders at a time when demand for land for commercial purposes was on the rise. The BJP government was acting against the objective and sentiments of the Bhoodan movement led by Vinobha Bhave, they charged.

Mr. Pradhyumna Singh said the Government might provide the landholders with all others rights but should withhold the right to transfer ownership of land. Mr. Khan sought to know whether the Government would provide similar concession regarding sale of land belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as well. He sought keeping at least a time frame of 5-10 years after which the landholders could be made entitled for sale of the holdings.

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