June 11, 2014
"Land dispute settlement, compensation, legal and policy protection on house ownership and inheritance were some of the issues discussed," sources said.
The six-member Chinese delegation was keen to learn how land ownership rights are regulated in India.
June 11, 2014
"Land dispute settlement, compensation, legal and policy protection on house ownership and inheritance were some of the issues discussed," sources said.
The six-member Chinese delegation was keen to learn how land ownership rights are regulated in India.
NEW DELHI: India could be playing a vital role in China's transition to private ownership of land. In a meeting that was kept secret, a high-level Chinese delegation led by its vice-minister for legislative affairs of the state council is understood to have met top officials of India's legislative department here to understand and frame a robust law for China, giving 'individual rights on land to people in both rural and urban areas'.
"Land dispute settlement, compensation, legal and policy protection on house ownership and inheritance were some of the issues discussed," sources said.
On May 16, the day results of India's general elections announced, Chinese vice minister Xia Yong, a special representative of President Xi Jinping, met a team of the legislative department officials in the Union law ministry. Xia was briefed by additional secretary in the department, Sanjay Singh, an expert on framing land laws and someone who was instrumental in the drafting of the Land Acquisition Bill.
The six-member Chinese delegation was keen to learn how land ownership rights are regulated in India, including compensation paid on land acquisition, and the Indian government's rehabilitation and resettlement policies.
In China, at present, land is owned by the state. Farmers neither have rights over the land they cultivate, nor can they claim ownership of the homes they live in.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is preparing, according to Economist, a 'profound revolution' that will completely set the stage for the demise of Mao's 'people's communes' and give rights to people to mortgage properties they have been leased out by the state.
The visit of the Chinese delegation to learn from India's experience on land laws, is considered significant in the backdrop of the vision Xi Jinping unveiled at the third plenum last November, where he spoke about "greater land rights for farmers, the reform of the household registration system" as part of his 60-point reform agenda.
Experts consider President Xi's land reform agenda by far the most ambitious of all his plans, stronger than even the Deng Xiaoping-led reform initiatives of the 1978.
"The Chinese team came to discuss legislation related to urbanization and related land systems; the legal framework on agricultural land, quantum of agricultural land, size of farms, number of landless peasants and the legal system of ownership and rights of using such land and legal protection granted to marginalized sections," sources said.
Vice Minister Xia was particularly interested to know how we handle our land acquisition problems and how it is regulated through legislation, the source added. The delegation also discussed the special rights given to tribals and in scheduled areas.
The law ministry is believed to have prepared and distributed a comprehensive note to the Chinese delegation on administration of such scheduled and notified areas and protection given to the people under Article 244.
Courtesy: PTI
