State’s new measures to reopen closed gardens
The department of land and land reforms of the West Bengal government has introduced new guidelines aimed at reopening closed tea gardens through short term settlement (STS) grants.
The State government has initiated the process of issuing the land pattas (land records of rights) for schools and colleges in accordance with the policy of regularization of the unauthorized occupation of government land by the educational institutions.
“The committees comprising block education officer, district education officer, principals of the Plus II and degree colleges, tehsildars and representatives of the Collector are regularly meeting to expedite the process. The committees will inform the Revenue department after resolving all land issues of these educational institutions”, Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu said while reviewing a meeting yesterday.
It has been decided that the pattas will be issued to the school and colleges on 5 March. The additional district magistrates (ADMs) in the districts will expedite the process for the timely issuance of the pattas, he said.
Advertisement
The government has formulated a policy for regularising the land in favour of educational institutions due to the inability of such institutions to pay the dues like premium, incidental charges, and annual ground rent, cess, and encroachment fees with the penalty, interest.
As many as 51 Government colleges and 644 Aided Colleges have under their occupation Government land measuring Ac.180.00 and Ac.1713.00 respectively. Similarly, as many as 1274 High Schools are on Government land. The total value of which will be more than 2500 crore.
The State Government, way back in the year 1977 had taken a policy decision to provide Government land measuring up to Ac.10.00 in urban areas and up to Ac.15.00 in rural areas, free of premium for the establishment of colleges. Similarly, it was also decided that lands will be provided free of premium for M.E. Schools up to Ac.2.00 and Ac.3.00 and for Secondary schools up to Ac.3.00 and Ac.5.00 in urban areas and rural areas respectively. This policy decision for secondary schools and +2 colleges, was reiterated further in the year 1998.
Advertisement
