Uttarakhand: Panel formed to review Land Law Committee's recommendations will determine standards for issuing domicile certificate

Dec 23, 2023

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 23 : The five-member draft committee for a detailed examination of the report provided to the Uttarakhand government by the 'Land Law Committee' will work to determine the standards regarding issuing the domicile certificate, a statement by the chief minister's office said on Saturday.
In the official statement, the government said that the newly formed committee will provide its recommendations to the government regarding the draft of the land law to be implemented by the state government.
"On the instructions of Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, a high-level committee has been constituted to act on the recommendations of the previously constituted Land Law Committee in the larger interest of the state. This committee will provide its recommendations to the government regarding the draft of the land law to be implemented by the state government as well as determining the standards regarding issuing the domicile certificate," Uttarakhand CMO said.
After assuming the office, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formed a high-level committee in the month of August of the same year.
The committee was asked to deliberate and provide its recommendations to the government, keeping in mind the balance between the requirement of land for industrial development works in the state and the conservation of land available in the state, keeping in mind that development works should not be affected.
Speaking on the same, the Chief Minister said that the earlier constituted committee had prepared its report in about 80 pages after in-depth discussions by inviting suggestions from the interested parties, various organizations and institutions of the state.
"Apart from this, the committee also examined the details of land purchase approvals given so far in the state from all the District Magistrates. The committee has included such points in its recommendations which will increase investment for development in the state and increase employment opportunities. The committee has also recommended to stop unnecessary misuse of land," he said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the interest of the state is paramount to him.
"The people of the state are continuously striving to fulfil the determination with which they have dreamed of building a state. Be it land law related to the state interest of the people of the state or the issue of domicile certificate, the state government is seriously working with the people of the state in this direction. In view of this, a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary to properly discuss these issues and provide clear recommendations to the state government. In which other senior officers as subject experts have been included as members," he said.
Notably, the panel will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi.
The committee constituted for the study and examination of land law in Uttarakhand, submitted its report to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with 23 recommendations in its report earlier in September.
The committee has given its 23 recommendations to the government, establishing a balance between the possibilities of investment in the interest of the state and the uncontrolled purchase and sale of land.
According to a statement issued by the state government, the committee's recommendations establish a balance between the possibilities of investment and the uncontrolled purchase and sale of land in the hill state.
It has recommended that approval for the purchase of farmland should come from the government rather than from district magistrates, which is the current practice.
The committee also recommended strict action against those building illegal structures or religious places on rivers, forest areas, pastures or public land. There should be a state-wide campaign against illegal possession of lands.
In its 80-page report, the committee said that at present, district magistrates allow the purchase of farmland for related purposes, but in several cases, the land is misused by the construction of resorts or personnel bungalows on it. This is making the hill residents landless and is not creating new jobs.