State may look to free 50% temple trust land

In a special bid to release thousands of acres of the land owned by the temple trusts in Maharashtra for commercial exploitation, the state revenue department is all set to bring a new law in the direction.

Once enacted, the Act will seek to acquire as much as 50 per cent of the land that comes as soil grant owned by the temple trusts will be free for sale, which otherwise is non-transferable in any given case.

In a recent meeting convened by Minister of State for Revenue Rajendra Shingane at Mantralaya, the department sanctioned the proposal of following the Gujarat Abolition Act 1969, which deals with the release of lands owned by temple trusts.

"The lands owned by these trusts and governed under the Soil Grant-mostly inami or donated land- concept are not transferable and prohibited from sale. Once the Act comes into existence, this restriction could be released," said a top official from the revenue department.

After having sanctioned by the committee of officials and members from various temple trusts a few weeks ago, state will soon send the proposal to the Law and Judiciary(L&J) department for further suggestions.

"The act will follow the Gujarat footprints as the Gujarat Abolition Act 1969 has not been challenged ever since its existence for last more than 3 decades. We are adopting it with few modifications that deem fit in context application here," the official said.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1114009