By IANS
Ranchi : The Jharkhand government has decided to repeal the Urban (Land) Ceiling Act by 2011. The decision was taken at a meeting attended by ministers and officials Thursday evening.
The act does not allow a family to own more than half an acre in urban areas.
The union government has made the repeal of the act a precondition to allocating funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to the state government.
“The meeting decided to end the Urban (Land) Ceiling Act by 2011. There are some problems in removing the act, which will be sorted out in next two years,” said Dulal Bhuiya, land and revenue minister of Jharkhand.
The meeting also decided to approach the central government for funds for urban development.
“Jharkhand will get around Rs.15 billion under the JNNURM in a phased manner. The fund will be utilised for development of cities like Ranchi, Bokaro and Dhanbad,” said a senior government official.
In Jharkhand, more than 400 cases are pending in various courts related to the ceiling act.
In the state capital alone, 235 such cases are pending in courts. In Dhanbad, some 170 km from here, 245 cases are pending in various courts.
The Jharkhand government will also make changes in the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, according to officials. Under the act, tribals cannot mortgage their land for more than five years. They also cannot sell land to non-tribals.