The specific provisions being reviewed by the government — sections 81 and 33 — deal with the use and sale of agricultural land in Delhi (Representative image/File)In a meeting of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday, the Delhi government’s Revenue Department was asked to review certain sections of the Delhi Land Reforms (DLR) Act 1954. The specific provisions being reviewed by the government — sections 81 and 33 — deal with the use and sale of agricultural land in Delhi.Lowdown on provisionsBoth sections place restrictions on owners of agricultural land.Section 33 bans the sale, gift, or transfer of agricultural land in any transaction that can leave the owner with less than eight acres. The rationale behind the rule is to ensure that agricultural holdings are not fragmented into sizes that are uneconomical for farming. Under Section 33, transfer of land is only permitted to a religious or charitable institution, or any person in charge of the Bhoodan movement (reference to attempt to persuade landowners to give up their land).Section 81 states that a landowner will be ejected “for using land for any purpose other than a purpose connected with agriculture, horticulture or animal husbandry, which includes pisciculture and poultry farming…” Such land will be vested in the Gram Sabha, the Section states.Discussion at meetingThe Revenue Department was asked “to take a fresh look” at “several sections and provisions of the DLR Act, including sections 81 and 33,” which are being implemented by the department. The justification for the move was that the provisions “were proving to be detrimental to farmers in the city, by way of making transfer/sale of land/mutation almost impossible.”Concerns among landownersThe landowners have raised concerns about the provisions. “If I have to sell one acre of land for my children’s wedding or their education, or an emergency, I can’t do that. Should I sell all of my land then?”With regards to Section 81, Surender Solanki, head of Khap panchayat Palam 360, had previously told The Indian Express, “A case will be registered against me if I build a room or a boundary wall. This is my land… Why should I go to court for building something on my land?”Exorbitant land prices in the Capital, coupled with inadequate support from the Central government in the form of input subsidies for fertilisers, farm equipment, and cheap electricity, are compelling landowners to consider selling their land holdings.Story continues below this adEven if the provisions are not repealed, farming in Delhi is on its way out as the majority of Outer Delhi, where agriculture is still practiced, falls under land pooling areas, where large-scale planned urban development is envisioned.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd