Maharashtra: Government to buy land at ready reckoner rates from original landlords

In a meeting held earlier this week, the government decided to allow district officials purchase land from original landlords at ready reckoner rates. (File photo)

To Ensure that landless farm workers belonging to Scheduled Castes and Nav-Buddhist communities falling in the below poverty line (BPL) category can become landowners, the Maharashtra government has decided to purchase land at ready reckoner rates from the original landlords. So far, under the Karmveer Dadasaheb Gaikwad Sablikaranava Swavlambhan Yojna, a landless farm labourer belonging to SC and Nav-Buddhist community under the BPL category was entitled 50 per cent subsidy and 50 per cent interest free loan to buy up to two acres of irrigated land and four acres of non-irrigated land.

However, over the years, as land prices increased, the scheme, which has been in existence for almost a decade, had suffered.

In a meeting held earlier this week, the government decided to allow district officials purchase land from original landlords at ready reckoner rates. Where land prices are higher, district officials would pay 20 per cent more than the ready reckoner rates. And where even this formula does not work, land would be purchased at double ready recknor rates.

CM Devendra Fadnavis said: “The real purpose of this scheme is empowerment and self-reliance of landless farm workers. Ownership of land not only empowers them socially and economically but would also help in providing them permanent source of income.”