New Delhi [India], May 20 (HBTV): The Haryana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, has approved a proposal by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to amend the policy for fixation of market rates of land in the state. The revised policy will apply to all departments, boards, corporations, panchayati raj institutions, and urban local bodies.

The policy, originally notified on November 25, 2021, aimed to prevent legal complications arising from different yardsticks used by various government entities for land rate assessment. The recent amendment simplifies procedures and aligns the state’s policy with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (Central Act No. 30 of 2013), according to an official release.

Under the amendment, the term 'double' in Clause 5(iii)(c) of the original policy has been replaced with 'four times'. This change ensures parity in compensation with what government entities pay during land acquisition under the Central Act.

Further, the policy clarifies that land procured by a private entity through this process will be subject to applicable fees and charges under relevant statutes before being used for its intended purpose. For the purpose of calculating the four times compensation, the collector rate prescribed for agricultural land will serve as the benchmark, regardless of the final use of the land.

Additionally, Clause 5(iii)(c) has been updated to replace the phrase 'Department with the approval of High-Level Land Purchase Committee' with 'Government or Local Authority (whosoever is the landowning agency) with the approval of the Chief Minister'.

The clause now also includes the requirement that 'the concerned private entity shall make an application along with 25 per cent of the amount due as per this clause to the head of the landowning organisation or department, indicating its consent to the policy'.

(ANI)