DEHRADUN: The recent order by the Uttarakhand revenue department, temporarily halting the sale of land to non-residents for agricultural and horticultural purposes, has sparked diverse reactions among various stakeholders.
Kamal Singh, a businessman who relocated from Ambala to Uttarakhand and intends to expand his investment in the state, emphasised the importance of resolving land-related matters at the earliest to bolster investor confidence. “To instil more confidence among investors, it is important that the state gets its land-related matters and laws fixed,” said Singh.
Meanwhile, residents looking to sell land for education, weddings and agricultural loan repayments expressed concerns about the uncertainties created by this decision. “There’s ambiguity, especially for sellers of agricultural land. The government’s stance needs clarity soon to avoid creating an atmosphere of uncertainty,” said Dharmraj Singh, a resident of US Nagar district.
A resident of Tehri Garhwal, Kalyani Devi, questioning the government’s interference in land sales, said, “It is our ancestral land, why does the government have to decide whom we sell it to and why? To generate livelihood, vacancies should be filled on time, industries should have been up and running by now as the state is all set to enter its 25th year of formation. Why such a random and sudden move now?”
However, some villagers opine that this move would benefit Uttarakhand natives by fostering an investment-friendly environment and enhancing the farming scenario within the state. Likewise, the state’s industry bodies supported the decision and emphasised that it would enforce the use of land for its designated business purpose. “This is a temporary ban, but it will certainly help in solving migration issues, and generate employment because now land would be purchased by genuine investors rather than those who purchase in bulk and then sell plots out of agricultural land,” said Pankaj Gupta, president of the Industries Association of Uttarakhand (IAU), an organisation with more than 700 industrial members.
Chairman of Prantiya Vyapar Mandal (Uttarakhand), Anil Goyal, said, “This would aid industries by attracting investors interested in farming or investing in the state. This step would help Uttarakhand in generating more land bank for genuine investors.”
To recall, on January 4, the revenue department issued an order suspending the sale of agricultural land until further notice, citing ongoing land reforms in the state. The order signed by Sachin Kurve, secretary of revenue department, stated, “Land purchase for agricultural and horticultural purposes under Uttarakhand (UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950) (adaptation and modification Order 2001) (amendment) Act 2003…”
