The Haryana Assembly has passed the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2024, marking a significant victory for thousands of farming families. This amendment to the 1961 Act will allow the transfer of 'shamlat deh' (village common land) to its original cultivators, who have been farming these lands for generations. Harpal Singh Gill of the Aabadkar Pattedar Kisan Kalyan Samiti has praised this as a 'pro-farmer' decision by the Nayab Singh Saini government.
Long Journey to Land Rights
The story begins in 1949 when the land was initially leased to farmers under the Haryana Utilisation of Lands Act for a 20-year period. Despite court eviction orders after the lease expired, farmers continued cultivating these lands. A crucial turning point came in 1986 when the Supreme Court, in the case of Bodhni Chaman Ex-servicemen Cooperative Tenants Farming Society Limited versus State of Haryana and Others, suggested that the state government could acquire and allot the land to petitioners if they paid the land price. The Court also recommended considering allotment of alternative land elsewhere, keeping in mind the petitioners' difficult circumstances.
Implementation and Financial Aspects
Under the new legislation, original lessees will need to pay a specified amount to their respective gram panchayats, as determined by district collectors. The land, which has been under continuous cultivation by the original lessees, will be immediately removed from the 'shamlat deh' category. This historic decision particularly benefits residents in the Pehowa and Guhla subdivisions of Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, where the common land was originally reserved and used for community purposes.
Political Journey and Final Resolution
The Aabadkar Pattedar Kisan Kalyan Samiti, representing the farmers, highlighted how multiple previous governments, including those led by Bansi Lal, Om Prakash Chautala, and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, failed to resolve this issue despite repeated representations. The process gained significant momentum during former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's tenure and has now been completed under the current Nayab Singh Saini government. The Bill now awaits the Governor's assent for final implementation.