Jaipur : The previous Congress government of the state distributed the valuable lands of Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) to many such institutions, which were created by government officers on the basis of caste. These lands were allotted at a rate of only 5 to 10 percent 8-10 days before the assembly election code of conduct. Most of the lands are in the most expensive areas of the state around Jaipur. This has been revealed in response to a question raised by BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf in the assembly. We understood the whole matter from the MLA who raised the question and with the help of retired officers, we found out what the rules say in the land allotment case? Read in this report…
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This is the first case of land allocation to caste based organizations
The state government has been allocating land to various social organizations for social work through JDA earlier also, but this is the first case of land allotment to organizations of government officers and employees formed on caste basis. Malviya Nagar (Jaipur) MLA and former minister Kalicharan Saraf, who raised the question in the assembly, said – the previous Congress government has hastily allotted land to these organizations in its last year of tenure, just before the election code of conduct. Many organizations are also doing good work at the social level, but why should land be given on concessional basis to organizations of government officers and employees on caste basis? Therefore, he had asked for an answer by raising a question in the assembly, the answer to which has come. Saraf said that the Congress government had done this for political gain. There are 8 lakh officers and employees in the state government. Many of them have formed organizations like Jain Officer Welfare Association, Brahmin Officers Club, Rajput Officer-Employee Welfare Council in the name of their caste or society, so will the government be able to distribute land to them.
Who has got the land?
The previous Congress government of the state had allotted land to a total of 45 different institutions in the JDA region between 1 January 2023 and 9 October 2023 when the election code of conduct was imposed. Out of these, 36 institutions have been allotted land just 8-10 days before the election code of conduct came into force (on 30 September 2023 or 5 October 2023). Among these, there are 3 such institutions which have been formed on the caste basis of government employees-officers. The reserve rate of most of the lands is Rs 10 thousand per square yard. However, the market price here is many times more than this.
1. Gurjar Employees Officers Welfare Council
This institution has been allotted 906.07 square meters of land in the Metro Enclave Scheme (B-2 Bypass). This land has been allotted at 10 percent of the reserved rate. It has been allotted on 30 September 2023. The institution has stated its objective to build a training building, hostel, information center, rest house and auditorium on the land.
2. Adivasi Meena Employees Development Committee (Bassi)
This organization has been given 600 square meters of land in Virajpura (Bassi) JDA region. This land has been given at 10 percent of the reserved rate. It has been allotted on 30 September 2023. The organization has stated its objective to run social, cultural and educational activities on this land.
3. Regar Officers Club Committee
This institution has been given 5000 square meters of land in JDA region near Siroli-Goner village. This land has been given at 5 percent of the reserved rate. It was allotted on 9 March 2023. The committee has stated the purpose of building a girls’ hostel on this land.
this is also a strange case
On 25 April 2023, the state government has allotted 1500 square meters of land in Vidyadhar Nagar Sector-4 to an organization named Nohar Nagrik Samiti. This organization has got the land at the rate of 50 percent. The organization has said that this land will be used for social work and to fulfill the objectives of the organization. The organization has been formed by the citizens of Nohar (Hanumangarh) living in Jaipur.
The minister said- the investigation report will come soon
After the formation of the BJP government in the state, in January 2024, the Urban Development Department had also started an investigation into the dates of allotment of land to these institutions, the objectives of the institutions, the allotment process, rules, etc. Urban Development Department Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra said that the institutions to which the Congress government has made allotments at concessional rates during its last six months of tenure are being investigated. The report will be available soon.
Government officers-employees’ organizations get lands, but they are not based on caste-society
The state government has also allotted land to the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officers’ club, Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) and Accounts Service officers’ associations in Jaipur at JLN Marg and Jhalana Institutional Area. The clubs or offices of those organizations have been operating on these lands for many years. But those organizations have got land on the basis of rank and cadre, not on the basis of caste or society.
What do the rules say?
Under the Rajasthan Civil Services (Classification Control and Appeal) Rules-1958, government officials cannot be members, officers or founders of any caste or community based organization. Doing so is considered a violation of government service rules.
The state government allots land at concessional rates to various registered institutions working in the social, educational and cultural fields across the state. This allotment is done on land under departments like Urban Development Department, Self Government Department, Revenue Department, Panchayat Raj Development etc.
After thorough scrutiny of the applications by Jaipur Vikas Pradhikaran, Housing Board, UIT, Municipal Body or Gram Panchayat, the case is sent to the state government. No single person or officer in the state government can make the allotment, even if he is the minister of the department or the Chief Minister. Regarding allotment, only the Cabinet or the committee empowered by the Cabinet can allot land to the concerned institution.
The institution must be registered under the rules of the state government and recognized by the government department of the relevant field.
The institution should be formed on a completely non-political basis.
The organization should have consent letters and valid documents of all the members.
The organization can apply for allotment of land at concessional rates after 3 years from the date of its registration.
The financial audit of the organization should be done regularly every year.
There should not be any criminal case against the organization or its founders.
There should not be any Chief Minister of the Government, any Minister, Department Head etc. officials in the organization.
There should not be any involvement in anti-national, terrorist or hatred spreading activities.
The state government allocates land based on the resources, financial sources and functioning of the organization.
This is misuse of democracy: PN Bhandari
Retired IAS officer PN Bhandari, who was additional chief secretary in Rajasthan, says that government land never means government land. Government land means public land. The government is only its trustee or caretaker. Therefore, allotment of government land should be done very thoughtfully and by fulfilling all the rules. The government of any party or its head is not the owner of government land that it can be allotted to whomever it wants. If social organizations fulfill the rules, then they can apply for concessional land, but the state government must see what is the nature of the institutions, who has created them, what is their purpose? If government officials and employees form institutions on the basis of their caste or society, why should the state government allot land to them at concessional rates. They should rather be asked why have you made caste-society the basis for forming an organization or institution. On this basis, hundreds and thousands of institutions can be formed by government personnel.
This will destroy people’s trust in the government system: Former IPS
Retired IPS officer Bahadur Singh Rathore, founder member and former president of RPS Club (Jhalana), says that the government system is under which lakhs of people work. If they will form organizations and institutions of their caste and society in this way, then people will lose faith in the government system. If the government has given concessional land to such institutions, then it is misuse of public resources. Such institutions get a boost by getting land from the government. Many organizations will come up saying that they also need land. Similarly, citizens of every village and town of Rajasthan have formed institutions in Jaipur. They should buy land with their own resources, but if the government gives concessional land, then this blind sharing will never end.
