CM Yogi Adityanath’s Nazul Property Act has been put on the back burner for now but this bill is not dead and if Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has his way, then after some time this bill will come back once again with some amendments. It is not that the Government suddenly drafted and introduced the Nazul Property Bill, rather the discussion about this Bill was going on in the corridors of power for a long time, so that the distribution of this Nazul property of about 75 thousand acres of land worth Rs 2 lakh crore could be done in the state. Can be stopped.
Nazul lands never belong to any particular person. Before and after independence, leases and pattas of these lands were given to the people, which were valuable then and are valuable even today. Because a large part of Nazul lands is present in the middle of big major cities and the game of sharing it has been going on for decades with the connivance of criminals, land mafia, politicians and officers.
In 1993, the Bohra Commission on Nazul property had given its report, in which concern was expressed about this organized gang of politicians, criminals, land mafia and bureaucrats. In this report, it was said that the main source of income in big cities is real estate. Forcibly occupying the land and buildings related to the property, evicting the existing residents and tenants, buying and selling such properties at cheap prices, which has taken the form of a business, not only this, this report also focuses on the nexus of politicians, mafia, officers and criminals. Concern was raised.
How does the business of possession of Nazul work?
Actually, there are about 72 to 75000 acres of Nazul land in Uttar Pradesh, whose market value is more than Rs 2 lakh crore. Illegal occupation of Nazul land, if someone has lease of valuable Nazul land and if he is weak or easy prey then grab it, land mafia prepares fake documents and gets freehold in their favor at throwaway prices. The game of getting it done has been going on for a long time. If there is no heir to the land leased during the British era, then the big land mafias and criminals of the city first take over it illegally and then a dirty business of getting fake freeholds goes on, in which there is collusion between officers, land mafias and politicians. And by building big market complexes and centers of commercial activities on that leased land, business worth hundreds of thousands of crores flourishes.
Yogi government took action against many big mafias. Atiq Ahmed was known as the biggest mafia and land mafia of Prayagraj, who occupied countless amounts of land from Civil Lines of Prayagraj to Hazratganj of Lucknow and made wealth worth thousands of crores with the help of such business. Went. Political influence also came from this money – Mukhtar Ansari also took over Nazul’s properties in many big cities including Lucknow and built a big business in his land business.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath got huge lands vacated from these two dons and politicians and built houses for the poor in Prayagraj and similar preparations are going on in Lucknow also.
What was in the UP Nazul Bill?
There is no provision for eviction of anyone anywhere in the proposed law, there is a provision for rehabilitation of the poor section. There is no law for free holding of Nazul land.
What is the proposed Nazul law of Yogi government?
In view of the suspension of all Nazul policies as a result of the repeal of the Government Grants Act 1895, keeping in mind the larger public interest, the state government should preserve the Nazul land. For this, the Uttar Pradesh government implemented the Nazul Properties (Management and Use for Public Purposes) Ordinance, 2024. As per the rules, it was introduced in both the houses of the legislature to make it a law. There is no mention of eviction of any resident in the proposed law, rather this law also gives the government the right to make laws for the rehabilitation of the poor and to rehabilitate them.
Important points regarding Nazul Land Bill
● After the coming into effect of this Act, no Nazul land will be free held in favor of any private person or private entity in Uttar Pradesh. Nazul land will be granted only to public entities, state or central government departments or government institutions related to health, education or social cooperation.
● Vacant Nazul land whose lease period is ending will not be free held but will be used for public interest projects like hospital, school, government office etc.
● Leaseholders who have applied for freehold by July 27, 2020 and have deposited the prescribed fee will have the option to renew the lease for another 30 years after the expiry of the lease period. Provided that the original lease deed has not been violated by them.
● Any land where population is residing, or which is being used in the larger public interest, will not be removed. No one will be evicted from the land currently in use.
● All those lessees who have not violated the lease deed during the lease period, their lease will continue as per the rules.
● Any building which has been built on Nazul land and if it is necessary to be removed in the larger public interest, then the government will provide fair compensation to the affected person in land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement as per the provisions of the Right to Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Compensation will be given for the infrastructure done or building constructed by the lease holder.
● This Act empowers the government to protect the interests of the poor class occupying Nazul lands and make laws in their favor and to rehabilitate them.
● In all cases where the absolute title deed has already been executed and it is discovered that such absolute title deed was executed by fraud or by suppressing factual information which had an impact on the decision of the Government to grant such absolute title. If so, the Government will have the power to cancel such absolute title deed and take possession of the land and building.