Gandhinagar: The Gujarat assembly on Tuesday passed the Saurashtra Gharkhed, Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands (Gujarat Amendment) Bill to curb illegal conversion of land.Minister of state for revenue, Sanjaysinh Mahida, while tabling the bill for discussion, said that the amendment bill will be important to protect the interests of farmers, bring legal clarity to land transactions, and curb illegal land conversions.He added that the current provision lacks legal clarity on the restitution and vesting of illegally converted land under Section 75 of the Act. Due to the absence of a time limit for penalty payment under Section 75(A), there is a delay in the farmer regaining their land. “Thus, this amendment bill was introduced to bring clarity to the law, simplify the process, and ensure the proper protection of farmers’ interests,” the minister said.He said the amendments will bring consistency with other land laws in force in the state, enabling uniform application of the law and increasing administrative efficiency.
