The government will soon come out with a model agricultural land leasing law after having failed in bringing changes in the Land Acquisition Act for states to emulate which may help liberalize leasing of land. NITI Aayog has set up an expert panel under the chairmanship of T Haque, former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, to prepare this model.
Further, the committee who will prepare the model will be having three month time period to submit its proposal. Besides, the committee will consist of top representatives from seven states which include Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam and Meghalaya and also officials from rural development ministry as well as the Aayog. Moreover, as per the terms of reference, keeping in view the need to legalise and liberalise land leasing for agricultural efficiency, equity, occupational diversification and rapid rural transformation, the committee will review the existing agricultural tenancy laws of states, examine the distinctive features of land system in erstwhile zamindari, ryotwari and mahalwari areas and also suggest appropriate revision.
Earlier, Vice chairman of the Aayog Arvind Panagariya had urged states to liberalize their land use policy to facilitate industrialistion, in order to provide benefits for both the landowners and tenants. Further he stated 'In the context of the difficulties in land acquisition under the 2013 land acquisition law, states wishing to facilitate industrialisation can further benefit from liberal land leasing if they simultaneously liberalise the use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes’.