(a) whether the Government propose to set up special courts to speed up cases under the Land Ceiling Act for distribution of excess land among the landless poor ; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
(a) whether the Government propose to set up special courts to speed up cases under the Land Ceiling Act for distribution of excess land among the landless poor ; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI K. JANA KRISHNAMURTHI)
(a) & (b) No, Sir.
The Government of India has already repealed the Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulation) Act 1976 through the Urban Land (C&R) Repeal Act, 1999 with effect from 11.1.1999. The Repeal Act is in force in the States of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and all the Union Territories (NCT of Delhi, Pondicherry & Chandigarh). The Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 is still in force in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Land acquired under the Act vests with the State Governments and they can dispose of such land, as per provisions contained in Section 23 of the Act.
As regards distribution of ceiling surplus land in rural areas and the setting up of special courts for this purpose, the subject matter falls within the domain of the State Governments/U.T. Administrations.