Uttarakhand Land Committee suggests State Admin to be made in charge of granting permission to MSMEs

Dehradun, Sept 6 (KNN) According to a slew of recommendations from the committee constituted to examine Uttarakhand’s land laws, District magistrates’ (DMs) right to grant permission for buying agricultural land and also to change land use to set MSME may be transferred to State Administration.

The committee reported that land permission granted by DMs have been misused by buyers.

Instead of using the land for agriculture purpose, resorts and private bungalows have been built which do not generate local employment.

Hence the committee has recommended that the power of granting permission for buying land for setting up MSME projects should also be taken away from the DMs and vested in the state administration as in Himachal Pradesh.

The committee was set up to suggest actions against those who encroach on public land to erect buildings or religious structures on them.

The report comprises 23 recommendations that seek to strike a balance between boosting investments, increasing employment opportunities and stopping misuse of land by controlling their unrestricted sale and purchase in the hill state.

The committee is headed by former chief secretary Subhash Kumar. Its members include Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee president Ajendra Ajay and retired IAS officers Arun Dhaundiyal and D S Garbyal.  (KNN Bureau)