In order to prevent illegal sale of Kul (tenancy) lands, the government has decided to levy a fine of 50 to 75 per cent of market rate on buyers.
In order to prevent illegal sale of Kul (tenancy) lands, the government has decided to levy a fine of 50 to 75 per cent of market rate on buyers. Kul lands can be sold only after taking permission from the state government.
Notwithstanding this rule, it has been found by the revenue department that over 20,000 acres of Kul land was sold without the government’s permission. This has prompted the department to make changes in the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act by introducing a provision of fine. Revenue minister Eknath Khadse told reporters, “We have found 2,000 cases of illegal sale of Kul land involving land over 20,000 acres. Buyers have not taken permission from the government before purchasing this land. Therefore, we have decided to levy fines on them to restrict further irregularities in land deals.”
As per the law, in illegal land deals, land is returned to the government. Sometimes, matters even go to court. “Instead of placing matters in court and keeping them pending for years, we have decided to levy a fine on buyers. The purchaser will have to pay 50 per cent of the ready reckoner price of land if he is using it for agriculture purposes and 75 per cent of the ready reckoner price if he is using it for non-agriculture purposes,” he said.
To a query if legalisation of irregularities will encourage more such deals, he replied in the negative.
