Nazul land freehold charges issue Still unresolved
| Date :22-Dec-2023 |
Staff Reporter
Over 2 lakh families in Nagpur are waiting to get the issue of Nazul land freehold charges resolved. Most people had hopes that the winter session of State Legislature in Nagpur would give them something concrete on the Nazul issue, but nothing has happened. The Maharashtra Government, which had been making promises for quite some time now, has not been able to issue notification on reduction in Nazul land freehold charges. Surprisingly, no MLA, MLC, except Pravin Datke took up the issue of Nazul this time. “I had tried my best to get the issue resolved. We expected some concrete decision in this session itself. Unfortunately, nothing has taken place. The only ray of hope is the note prepared by Revenue Department that would be put before the State Cabinet. The charges proposed in the note are on the basis of MP act which are 2% of Ready Reckoner (RR) value. We still want reduction in the percentage. Let’s hope for the best,” explained Pravin Datke, MLC from Bharatiya Janata Party.
The decision of bringing down the charges from 5 per cent of Ready Reckoner (RR) value to 2 per cent was taken in 2022 by Maharashtra’s Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil. But no notification or circular or Government Resolution (GR) has been issued yet. Some time ago, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had come forward to take up the issue. The Nazul properties are unique to Nagpur and Amravati, and stem from rules which existed during the erstwhile CP and Berar State. Even though Government has a policy to regularise the same and handover ownership to residents, the exorbitant fines and registration costs are derailing the process. For plot holders there are specific issues like those who wish to renew their lease, and those who have violated the terms of their lease on nazul plots. The issues like what steps the Government is taking regarding this and in 2019 the regularisation cost was fixed at 5% of Ready Reckoner, which is too costly, are still unanswered. In monsoon session, Adv Abhijeet Wanjarri had demanded that the State should go beyond this process and completely scrap the concept of Nazul layouts and lease.
There needs to be a change in the policy regarding imposing of fine on those who violated lease conditions. Just three years ago it would have taken Rs 40,000 to regularise (with fines) a 10,000 sq feet plot. Today, the same thing will cost the person Rs 78 lakh. NMC has 22 layouts where this issue is not resolved. The ground rent was fixed to 8% by the Government in 2019. The MVA stayed it and reduced to 0.02%. The existing government issued a public draft notification raising it to 2% and call objections over it. Number of objections received by Government but no hearing is given till date. For example if the existing ground rent is Rs 150 per year then, according to old rent it was 150×3=450 after 30 years at the time of renewal of lease (This rule applicable in NIT). If it raised to 0.02%, it will be Rs 800 which is acceptable. If it is 0.2% then it will be Rs 8000. If it is 0.05% it will be Rs 20,000. If it is 1% it will be 40,000 and If it is 2% it will be Rs 80,000. “If one goes by number then the people living in 9 Mauzas are facing the issue of Nazul. People are suffering a lot. Along with the issue of reduction in Nazul land freehold charges, Datke has also demanded that the ground rent given by the people, having land on lease, should be brought down,” demanded Datke.