Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1963
No: 23 Dated: May, 18 1963
The Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1963
Punjab Act No. 23 of 1963
An Act to provide for the making and execution of land improvement schemes including schemes for soil conservation, improvement of soil resources, prevention or mitigation of soil erosion, protection of land against damage by floods or draught, farm drainage or other works incidental to, or connected with, such purposes.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Fourteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows :-
CHAPTER I
Preliminary
1. Short title. - This Act may be called Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1963.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -
(a) 'Chief Conservator' means the officer appointed for the time being to be the Chief Conservator of Soils, and includes any other officer empowered by the State Government by notification to perform the functions of the Chief Conservator under this Act and the rules made thereunder;
(aa) 'Bank' means Mortgage Bank as defined in clause (d) of the Punjab Co-operative Land Mortgage Banks Act, 1957;
(aaa) "Deputy Commissioner" means the Officer appointed for the time being to be the Deputy Commissioner of a District, and includes any other officer authorised by the State Government by notification to perform the functions of a Deputy Commissioner under this Act and the rules made thereunder;
(b) "Director" means the Officer appointed for the time being to be the Director of Agriculture, and includes any other officer authorised by the State Government by notification to perform the functions of the Director under this Act and the rules made thereunder;
(c) "District Land Improvement Committee" means a Committee constituted under section 4;
(d) "erosion" means the removal or displacement of earth, stones or other materials by the action of wind or water;
(e) "Enquiry Officer" means an officer of the State Government appointed by a District Land Improvement Committee under sub-section (3) of section 7;
(f) "landowner" has the same meaning as is assigned to it in the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887;
(g) "notified area" means any area declared to be a notified area under section 3;
(h) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(i) "reclamation", in relation to land, includes making land fit for cultivation or making any other improvement of land;
(j) "scheme" means a land improvement scheme made under this Act;
(k) "Soil Conservation Officer" means a Divisional Soil Conservation Officer or an Assistant Soil Conservation Officer appointed by the State Government in respect of a specified area to perform the functions of the Soil Conservation Officer under this Act and the rules made thereunder;
(l) "waste land" means any land rendered unfit for cultivation on account of accumulation of sand, growth of weeds, soil erosion or any other cause notified by the State Government;
(m) "work" means any work of public utility constructed, erected or carried out under a scheme.
CHAPTER II
Notification of Areas, Constitution. of District Land Improvement Committees and Making of Land Improvement Schemes
3. Notification of areas. - Whenever it appears to the State Government that in any area comprising the whole or part of a district it is necessary to provide for the making and execution of land improvement schemes including schemes for soil conservation, improvement of soil resources, prevention or mitigation of soil erosion, protection of land against damage by floods or draught, farm drainage or other works incidental to, or connected with, such purposes, the State Government may, by notification declare such area to be a notified area for the purposes of this Act.