New norms to make agri land dearer

Ranchi: The state government on Tuesday started evaluation of non-saleable agricultural land in Santhal Pargana to formulate new compensation rates.
The state cabinet approved the process of evaluation under clause 26 (3) of the right to fair compensation, transparency in land acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. It also ordered fast evaluation to fast-track stalled state and private industrial projects.
The new evaluation method will calculate the worth of each decimal land in the division (which comprises Dumka, Deoghar, Pakur, Sahibganj, Godda and Jamtara districts) by studying the rates in neighbouring districts (including bordering districts of neighbouring states). The estimated net worth of farm produce (which will include the number of crops the land can have in a year) of coming 30 years will also be calculated before settling the base price of a single unit.
In case of felled trees of producing value, the landowner will be compensated on the basis of estimate produce of 30 years against the earlier provision of the value of chopped wood. The assessment of crop yield will be done on basis of a mathematical formula developed by the Birsa Agricultural University Ranchi, the government said.
Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, secretary of the state revenue, registration and land reforms department KK Soan said the base price of one decimal land will be roughly around Rs 12,000 for double cropping land while mono-cropping land will be approximately Rs 9,500 per decimal. "As per policy, compensation will be paid four times the worth," Soan added. The evaluation work will be monitored by a committee chaired by the divisional commissioner with deputy commissioners of all districts. The committee will review and revise the evaluation every two years.
The evaluation will be carried out to clear decks for many of infrastructure projects of the government including railways, roadways and airport, Soan said. Many big ticket private mining and industry endeavors are also stranded in the division due to rules mandated by the SPT act.
In another decision, the cabinet raised the dearness allowance of state government employees by 6%. The 11-member cabinet gave its approval to set up a family court and commercial court each in Ranchi, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur and sanctioned post creations for the same. The cabinet also okayed setting of dialysis units under public private partnership in government hospitals in Bokaro, Chatra, Dhanbad, Dumka, Hazaribag and Palamu. It allotted 2.2 acres of land in Dhanbad and Topchanchi to the East Central Railways and allotted Rs 60 crore for implementing Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in the state.