Haryana Cabinet approved proposal to amend East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

Chandigarh, March 10, 2016: With a view to ensuring better utilization of land owned by the Government and entities owned by the Government available at different locations in the one or more contiguous Revenue Estates or villages for the purpose of institutional, industrial or other development in the State, the Haryana Cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mr Manohar Lal here today approved the proposal to amend the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948.
The Act also provides for consolidation of agricultural holdings and for preventing fragmentation of agricultural holdings and for assignment for reservation of land for common purposes of the village.
The need to amend the Act was felt as utilization of land has undergone a sea change due to its proximity to National Capital, Delhi and there is a pressure on utilisation of land for various purposes like institutional, residential, industrial, etc., in addition to agriculture.
Also, as a result of the amendment, when the draft scheme of consolidation is ready for publication, the Consolidation Officer shall publish it in the prescribed manner in consultation with the Gram Sabha and in the presence of Tehsildar and Block Development and Panchayats Officer concerned in the estate or estates concerned. Any person aggrieved by the order of the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) whether made before or after the commencement of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Second Amendment and Validation Act, 1962 may within 30 days of that order appealed to the Consolidation Officer. A scheme for the consolidation of holdings confirmed under this Act may, at any time, be varied or partially revoked by the authority.
Any matter required to be published or of which public notice is to be given, under the Act, shall be made available in Hindi, English and Gurmukhi to the Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue, Director General, Land Records, Deputy Commissioner, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Tehsildar, Panchayat of the Revenue Estate or district concerned and national and local newspapers, as the case may be. It shall be published in the affected areas in such a manner as may be prescribed and uploaded on the website of the appropriate government. The Village Committee constituted for a scheme of consolidation of holdings shall have not less than 11 members and it shall include all members of the Gram Panchayat and representatives of land owners. It will also have two representatives each of Scheduled Castes and other non-proprietors if not already included in the Panchayat. Also, there would be two representatives of Panna or Patti to which the land belongs. Under Rule 18 of limitation for application under section 42, an application shall be made within 90 days of the date of the order against which it is filed./ (SK Vyas, Jalandhar)