Land ceiling act changes won't affect agri output, Guj assures

Gujarat has assured the Centre that the Agricultural Land Ceiling (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which proposes to empower the government to allot surplus land to the industry and the civic bodies, won't affect the agricultural production.
The Centre had asked the state whether the bill deviates from the purpose of the original act, and whether it will affect the agricultural production.
In its reply sent last week, Gujarat government assured that the provisions are in accordance with the original act and the amendments will not impact the present agricultural output, said K Srinivas, principal secretary, revenue.
"We sent the bill for Presidential assent after it was passed by the Gujarat Assembly last August....Centre had raised some questions to which we sent our reply recently. We are hopeful of getting the Presidential nod," he said.

"We have assured the Centre that Government will allot surplus land only in return for land elsewhere. So the agricultural land bank will remain the same," said Srinivas.
The Agricultural Land Ceiling Act, 1960, puts a ceiling on the agricultural land-holding and empowers the government to acquire surplus land and to allot it to landless farmers.

Under the amendments, the surplus land can also be given to industry and the civic bodies.
According to Srinivas, some of the surplus land acquired by the Government is not useful for farming. Also, civic bodies can be given the land for public amenities.

"The industry as well as the civic bodies will be required to make available equivalent area of land (elsewhere) in return for the land given," he said.