Panels headed by collector set up for purchase of land for

District-level committees headed by collectors will fix the rates at which land will be purchased for distribution to landless scheduled caste and neo-Buddhist families in the Below Poverty Line category.

The decision was taken by the Maharashtra government earlier this week, an official statement today said.

These committees will finalise the purchase rate, buy land and select beneficiaries for allotment under the Karmavir Dadasaheb Gaikwad Sabalikaran and Swabhiman Yojana, it said.

The scheme is in operation since 2004-05.

Under the scheme, land is distributed with fifty per cent subsidy. Beneficiaries get interest-free loan for the remaining amount.

Every eligible family is allotted four acres of non-irrigated land or two acres of irrigated land.

New norms for purchase of land were being introduced in view of increase in market rates, the statement said.

The committee will be headed by collector of the respective district and include CEO of the Zilla Parishad, district agriculture officer, district superintendent of land records, deputy registrar of stamp duty and valuation, sub-divisional officer of the concerned taluka and assistant commissioner of social welfare department.

The committee can negotiate with land owners if land is not available at ready-reckoner rates, but the maximum purchase price shall be Rs 5 lakh per acre for non-irrigated dry land and Rs 8 lakh per acre for irrigated land.

Earlier, this ceiling was Rs 3 lakh per acre of both types of land.