Punjab introduces ‘Land Improvement Schemes Act’ bill to empower farmers in state
Chandigarh, November 28: With an aim to empower farmers, the state government on Monday gave concurrence to introduce a draft bill on the Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017, for insertion of new Section 14-A in the current Vidhan Sabha session for enactment.
Notably, the insertion of new Section 14-A in the Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017 will help in laying of underground pipes of repair, renovation of existing underground pipelines through any other land holdings etc. This move will straight away benefit the farmers of the state as due to direct water supply and better infrastructure.
The amended Act will also grant legal right to the Soil and Water Conservation Department and the farmers to lay underground irrigation pipelines in the land of other landholders at a depth of 3 feet beneath the surface of land, as per demarcated line on payment of compensation arising out of crop damage or damage to any structure as per prevailing market rates.
However, a district-level committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner and comprising representatives from Revenue, Agriculture, Forests, Public Works and Soil Conservation Departments would be formed to determine the amount of compensation to be paid to landholders and its decision on the amount of compensation would be final.
The amendments have been prompted by the fact that sometimes, other individual landholders or land held by other entities/agencies do not allow the underground pipeline to pass through their lands, thus depriving the farmer whose land is located on the other side of vital irrigation facilities. Several government-funded projects also get held up due to the absence of any legislative rights with the state and now, with this legislation, the major roadblock in this regard has been cleared.
Meanwhile, the Punjab cabinet headed by CM Capt Amarinder Singh also gave the nod to the placement of the Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage) Ordinance 2017 before the Vidhan Sabha for enactment.