Taking a serious note of indiscriminate encroachment of ponds in the state, which is lowering the water table in the region, the Allahabad High Court has suggested that a special law should be enac

New Delhi: After regularizing hundreds of unauthorized colonies to woo voters in the election year, the Congress-led Delhi government is planning to ease norms under Section 81 of the Land Reforms

In an order issued on Friday, the Taluk Land Board of Kozhencherry has declared 132 hectares of land originally owned by K.J. Abraham of Kozhencherry as excess land and has directed the Revenue officials concerned to take possession of the excess land, invoking the relevant provisions in the Kerala Land Reforms Act.

The 132 ha of excess include 232 acres of land in Aranmula, Kidangannur, and Mallappuzhasserry villages that had been sold to the Chennai-based KGS Group for construction of a private airport by Mr. Abraham.

Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has urged the state governments to improve and expedite existing land reform measures to address the needs of the poor and landless, a tacit recognition tha

Plantation Land Conversion Only For Improving Economic Conditions

The revenue department has come up with an order plugging the loopholes in the amendment of the Kerala Land Reforms Act 1963, which allowed conversion of 5% plantation land for other purposes. In an order issued on March 7, the department has clarified that the exemption is allowed only for improving the economic conditions of plantations that cannot be changed hands.

Yet to achieve financial closure for project because of pending draft agreement

The West Bengal government has upped the ante against JSW Steel and charged it with delaying the Salboni steel and power project. At Rs 35,000 crore, the investment for the project is the largest in the state. Questioning JSW's intentions, Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal industry minister, today said if the company continued to dilly-dally, it could be asked to return the land. "I am fed up with the company. It seems they have no intention of taking the project forward. We have waited enough. They have been talking about the iron ore problem. But that is not the state government's responsibility. They are raising one issue after another," Chatterjee said.

Kalahandi: The Centre would 'fight' Naxalites through welfare and empowerment schemes and protect the tribals from being used as shields by the ultras, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday.

"In the name of protecting forest dwellers, Maoists have created an atmosphere of fear (in society). Our fight against the rebels is continuing. Through schemes for tribal welfare and women empowerment, with a strong political willpower, we will defeat their designs," he told a meeting of Adivasi Adhikar Samavesa at Narla in Odisha's Kalahandi district.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government will take action against companies, which have bought private land without government permission, a government statement said.

Revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked district collectors to register cases against companies, which bought land without taking government permission under the Orissa Land Reforms Act, 1960, the statement said. The minister has asked the collectors to take disciplinary action against tahasildars, who registered such properties. The government will cancel the land pattas of such deals, it added.