Karnataka Land Reforms Ordinance 2020 eases restrictions in land reforms

The Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 came into effect as the governor of the state Vajubhai Vala signed the ordinance. The ordinance brings massive changes to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 which allows some ease in restrictions on buying and selling of agricultural land in the state.

The amendment dilutes the original act by dropping section 63, 79A, 79B and 79C which put severe restrictions on the ownership of agricultural land. Other sections related to who could buy the land and the ceiling of extended land that one could hold. The section 79 A and B were not part of the original draft of the law but were inserted in 1974.

The amendment now allows a company, trust or an institution to buy agricultural land in the state through its non agricultural income. Under the original law an agriculturist could sell his land only to an agriculturist. The government has argued that the amendment has been done to provide benefits to the farmers as the old law only provided benefits to the officials who used it as a tool of harassment.

The new law has been vehemently opposed by the Congress party and several Farmer Organisation fear that it may be detrimental to the farmers of the state. However, the government argued that the reforms would not only be beneficial to the farmers but will also raise the profile of agriculture in the state. The government says that many people who have a technological background and want to implement those technologies in the agricultural field are unable to do so because of the law.