Amendments in CNT and SPT Acts to benefit rayyats and tribals: Khare

Ranchi, Oct. 19: Principal Secretary of Personnel Department Nidhi Khare today said that the proposed amendments in the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act 1908 and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act 1949 are in the interest of the people of the state.

�The amendments have been proposed keeping the demand of the time and in order to make Santhal people economically and socially strong, the government has to implement this amendment,� Khare said.

Referring to Articles 21 and 13 of the CNT Act, Khare said the raiyats can use their land only for agriculture purposes. They cannot make marriage hall, hotel, dhaba and shop on their land. This means that they will never prosper economically. The raiyats have the right to develop and prosper the way they want. She said that the rumours that the ownership of the land will end is only a lie.

�Through this amendment, the raiyats� claim on their land will strengthen and they will receive maximum economic benefit for their land. Only one per cent of the market value revenue will be taken on the land used for non-agricultural purposes strengthening the claims of the raiyats on their lands,� said Khare.

Khare said that if non-agricultural works are carried out on a plot, it can be regularized providing the raiyats are safeguarded from legal problems. Moreover, they will be given legal protection as well. In future if the land is acquired, they will get more value for the land, she said.

The Principal Secretary further said that amendment was proposed under article 49 of CNT act. She said that this change is necessary in the light of demand of land for the construction of roads, schools, colleges and universities and expansion of railways.

Any rayyat can get permission from the DC and transfer his land for public welfare scheme.

�The specialty of this scheme is that the work for which the land has been transferred should be completed in five years or else it will be returned to the concerned raiyats without demanding the money paid to them back.

The proposal put forth by the government is in the interest of the people. The amendment was also proposed in Article 71 A. The amendment provisions that illegally transferred land will be returned by the SAR court. Compensation has been removed from article 71 A and a provision has been made to return the tribal land to the tribal people in six months,� Khare said.