The State government plans to issue permanent pattas to assigned land owners, which is a promise made as a run up to elections in 2014. If the government efforts are fruitful, the assignees can transfer their assigned lands at their will. The government is working out various options to allow the registration of assigned lands through the new legislation.
The Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) has recently made some suggestions to the State government with regard to “regularise the assigned lands.” For which, the government will have to amend the Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) Act, 1977.
The CCLA also expressed the view that the lands assigned to the poor and landless prior to 18.6.1954 would not attract the rule prohibiting the transfer of lands. Quoting GO 1142 issued on 18.6.1954, the CCLA opined that there is no prohibition with regard to transfer of lands assigned prior to date of issuance of the GO. Also, there are no prohibitory rules for transfer of lands assigned prior to 1954 in the Prohibition of Transfer of Assigned Lands (POT) Act, 1977. In addition, there is a High Court recommendation to exclude the lands assigned prior to 1954 from prohibitory list, 22 A, sources say.
The Section 3 (1) of the Act prohibits transfer of the assigned lands on or before commencement of the Act. It also declares retrospectively that all transfers of such lands which took place prior to the coming into force of the Act will be null and void. “So, the government has to amend the word retrospective to pave the way for regularisation of the assigned lands,” said an official, who didn’t want to be quoted.
The CCLA suggested that the lands assigned after 21.1.1977 can be regularised at market value. However, the assignee should have enjoyed the lands for 30 years. The clause of 30 years was introduced with a view that most of the assignees were SCs and STs. Allowing transfer of lands would render them jobless so the clause was inserted, officials say.
According to information, there are 2,55,594 acre assigned lands in 10 districts, excluding Srikakulam, Nellore and Vizianagaram, in the State. More than 1.11 lakh assigned land beneficiaries are there. The assignees sold their lands in many areas.
