Himachal cabinet approves draft lease rules

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet today approved the draft HP Lease Rules, 2013, after scrapping the provision for sub-leasing and permitting granting of land on lease only in those cases where no alternative private land was available.
Apart from the above provisions, the draft rules state that government land may be leased out for self-employment of ex-servicemen, war widows and BPL families, for building of residential houses by landless Himachalis and for the rehabilitation of people affected by natural calamities.
The draft rules clarified that encroached upon government land would not be leased out to the encroacher but, after being cleared of squatters, may be leased out to eligible persons or institutions.

Before the granting of government land on lease, the period for which is to be determined by state officials, a no objection certificate from estate right-holders would have to be obtained.
The draft Rules would be published in the official gazette inviting objections and suggestions from the general public before it is finalised.
The draft rules also propose that the lease amount be calculated per annum at 10 per cent of the current circle rates notified by the district collector.

However, in case of hydro-electric projects, which are exclusively reserved for bona fide Himachalis, the lease amount would be charged at 5 per cent. Further, it has been proposed that after every five years, lease amount will be increased by 5 per cent.

And, instead of the earlier provisions for sub leasing, it has been proposed that the lessee may get into an agreement to manage, operate and maintain the leased property.
There will also be a restriction on the lessee to utilise the land within a period of three years from the date of the registration of the lease deed.