Question

Q2) Recently NITI Aayog released a model land leasing law. Consider the following statements regarding the same
1. It is binding on all the states.

2.As of today, different states have different laws regarding leasing of agricultural lands.

3.All most all the states allow land leasing without much restrictions.

4.The aim of the new law is to protect the rights of landowners and also to improve agricultural productivity.

Identify the correct statement/s

• A. a) 1 and 3 only
• B. b) 2 and 4 only
• C. c) 1 and 4 only
• D. d) 2 and 3 only

Answer 1

The correct option is B

b) 2 and 4 only

Ans 2: B
Explanation: Land is a state subject in seventh schedule of Constitution. So centre can create / suggest a model act but its enactment has to be done by states themselves. In many states, land leasing is either banned or has too many restrictions. At present, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur do not allow leasing of farmland) In Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra, the tenant has the right to buy the leased land from the owner after tilling it for a certain period of time. Tenants belonging to SC/ST categories in Gujarat and Maharashtra cannot be evicted once land is given to them on lease. West Bengal allows only sharecropping, while Andhra Pradesh has fixed the lease tenure to a minimum of six years. Several other states like Bihar, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh have banned leasing of farmland, with exceptions for widows and handicapped landowners.

Salient Features of the model draft This model act proposes to legalize land leasing to promote agricultural efficiency, equity and poverty reduction. The legalising will be in all areas to ensure complete security of land ownership right for land owners and security of tenure for tenants for the agreed lease period) Remove the clause of adverse possession of land in the land laws of various states as it interferes with free functioning of land lease market; Allow automatic resumption of land after the agreed lease period without requiring any minimum area of land to be left with the tenant even after termination of tenancy, as laws of some states require; Allow the terms and conditions of lease to be determined mutually by the land owner and the tenant without any fear on the part of the landowner of losing land right or undue expectation on the part of the tenant of acquiring occupancy right for continuous possession of leased land for any fixed period) Facilitate all tenants including share croppers to access insurance bank credit and bank credit against pledging of expected output. Incentivize tenants to make investment in land improvement and also entitle them to get back the unused value of investment at the time of termination of tenancy.