KARACHI: Speedy recovery of amount urged: State land transactions
KARACHI, July 5: Sindh Governor, Mohammedmian Soomro, has directed prompt, speedy and result-oriented action for the recovery of differential amount under the Sindh State Land (Cancellation of Allotments, Conversion and Exchange) Ordinance.
Presiding at a meeting to review progress in this regard, he called for recovery of land in cases where the lessees had failed to pay differential.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, K.B. Rind; Justice (retd) Syed Abdur Rehman; chairman of the committee constituted for the purpose and high officials of revenue, finance and law departments.
The said ordinance was promulgated for cancellation of certain allotments, conversions or exchange of state land obtained or granted for residential, commercial or industrial purposes at rates lower than the market value and in violation of law or ban, from 1985.
The meeting was informed that so far the committee has succeeded in recovering Rs81,871,901 against the due amount of Rs83,843,395 by issuing 75 challans in response to 225 applications and 137 notices.
The governor assured that while spending the revenue so collected, priority would be given to development works of the concerned localities. He said that the rates to be recovered as differential amount should be based upon the actual rate at the time of allotment and valuation should be independent and not bound by earlier or lower-rung recommendations.
He said that price fixation should be realistic and investor friendly, with a purpose to recover the price without jeopardizing government policies, while at the same time also serving as a deterrent.
The meeting was informed that notices are being issued for the recovery of differential amount from the original lessees in all cases, including the cancelled leased pertaining to the period 1985 onwards, except the cancelled grants due to nonpayment of cost and unavailability of land.
In case the lessee has sold the land to some other party, then a copy of notice is also sent to the subsequent purchaser/sub- lessee. Allotments made in favour of various provincial departments, federal departments, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies are exempted from payment of differential amount.
All those cases which do not conform with the recommendation of the government policy are issued a final show-cause notice for the cancellation of their allotments/conversions/ exchanges, etc, and their land be resumed to the government for fresh disposal in open auction as per the land-grant policy.
Market rate, at the time of allotment, will also be recovered from the owners of dummy villages who had purchased the land from sanad holders.
The meeting was informed about the modus operandi for recovery of differential amount. At stage one, on the receipt of application, offer letters are issued to the applicants for recovery of amount. At stage two, on the receipt of acceptance, letters in response to the offer letters are issued for payment. At stage three, on the receipt of paid challan in State Bank of Pakistan, regularization orders are issued.
Taking notice, the governor urged the authorities to complete the identification of cases in other parts of the province, besides Karachi, under the ordinance within minimum possible time.
It was also informed that in most cases, the committee physically inspected the site and determined the rates of allotted plots.
Many unaddressed and unnoticed pieces of prime land have been unearthed and there are still hidden cases.
The committee is not only busy in the issuance of offer letters for recovery of the differential amount, but is also motivating and convincing the parties to make payment in the government exchequer.—APP
