The Rajasthan government spelled out a transfer of ‘Charagah’ (pasture) lands to the municipalities, thereby allowing housing projects to sweep in state at a largely-spread land. This will engender land use for the purpose of urbanisation and pressing development needs.
The Rajasthan government issued a notification in this regard on December 8, 2016. In addition to this notice, ancillary notices were also issued to all district collectors on December 26, 2016. The second phase of notices were implemented to direct all district collectors, thereby ensuring compliance and conformity.
However, the opportunistic opposition couldn’t sit quite and raised baseless allegations in nexus with this. Independent legislator Hanuman Beniwal also voiced his concern over the matter. People are yearning to become the focus of attention, supposedly, a talent. He cited that land is being allotted to house those involved in illegal Bajri mining.
As a higher authority is better to hear to, we heard to what the Urban development and housing (UDH) had to say. Urban development and housing (UDH) minister Shrichand Kriplani said the land was needed for projects like Mukhya Mantri Jan Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jan Awas Yojana. “With growing urbanisation, the housing needs are increasing in municipal areas. Therefore, there is a continuous requirement of developing housing schemes on government lands located in municipal areas,” Kriplani informed the house.
“The letter written to all district collectors in this regard on December 26, 2016 is proper,” Kriplani claimed. Moreover, the UDH minister also initiated an argument stating that if the “charagah” and government land located in urban limits is not recorded in the municipalities, it thwarts the process of leveling charges and taking required action against encroachers.
“Anyways, the charagah lands in municipal areas are not used as pastures because the Municipalities Act that is effective in these areas does not permit cattle to be left to graze at public places/lands,” the minister said to drive his name home.
The revenue department ordered that all government land held by Jaipur Development Authority, Jodhpur Development Authority, Urban Improvement Trusts and all municipalities, shall be transferred to these bodies. This order was received via govt’s notification dated December 8, 2016, said Kriplani.
