In an attempt to allow the rural population to use their agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, including building houses, the Delhi Government on Wednesday issued a circular restricting the applicability of Section 81 of the Delhi land Reforms Act, 1954.
leaders of both Congress and BJP have been demanding abolition of Section 81 of the DlR Act as officials were issuing notices to harass people.
Officials of the Revenue Department stated that Section 81 of the Act is already not applicable in an area which is urbanised by way of notification under Section 507 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, and areas falling within boundaries recently regularised colonies, buildings in respect of which building plans have been sanctioned by competent authority or permission granted under Amendment of Master Plan, house sites allotted under 20 Point Programme or in extended ‘abadi’ as defined under DlR Act for which this circular is issued.
According to Section 81 of DlR Act, agricultural land should be used for agricultural purposes only.As reported in The Pioneer a fortnight ago, the Delhi Cabinet had earlier taken a decision to this effect last month.
A Delhi Minister said that Section 81 of the DlR Act had become somewhat irrelevant with the passage of time and it felt that in view of rapid urbanisation of Delhi, the change of Master Plan and subsequent regularisation of unauthorised colonies, it was decided to restrict the utility of its Section 81 of the Act to give relief to the people.