Primary law, Tamil Nadu land law
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 (1960)
The Tamil Nadu Legislature enacted The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959, Tamil Nadu Act No. 31 of 1959, to provide for land improvement schemes across Tamil Nadu, including soil and water conservation, protection from erosion, floods and drought, reservoir protection and waste land reclamation. The President assented to the Act on 1 March 1960, it was first published in the Fort St. George Gazette on 16 March 1960, and the supplied document appends Tamil Nadu Act No. 6 of 2001 as an amendment without describing its changes.
What the Act governs
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 applies to the whole of Tamil Nadu, but it comes into force in an area on a date specified by State Government notification. The State Government may cancel or modify such a notification.
The legislation provides a framework for preparing and carrying out schemes concerning:
- Conservation and improvement of soil, water resources, subsoil water and moisture.
- Prevention or reduction of soil erosion.
- Protection of land from floods or drought.
- Protection of reservoirs against sedimentation.
- Reclamation of waste land.
An area cannot be notified under these provisions if it is constituted as a reserved forest under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882.
Authorities and scheme preparation
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 provides for a Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Board, District Land Improvement Committees and River Valley Soil Conservation Boards. Its table of contents assigns functions relating to scheme preparation, consideration of objections, sanction or rejection of draft schemes and publication of approved schemes.
Key procedural provisions include:
- State Government notification of areas where land improvement schemes are considered desirable.
- Regulation, restriction or prohibition of certain matters within notified areas.
- Proclamation of regulatory orders and admission of compensation claims.
- Publication of draft schemes, inquiry into objections and submission of reports.
- Appointment of an Executing Officer and enforcement of approved schemes.
Who may be affected
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 may affect people holding land individually, jointly or in common, as well as landlords, tenants, lessees, sublessees, mortgagees in possession and persons entitled to receive rent or profit from land. The Central Government is also included for land vested in its departments.
The legislation addresses liability connected with scheme works, maintenance and repair obligations, use of land, and recovery of amounts as arrears of land revenue. It also provides for appeals, penalties, entry and survey powers, compensation and continued liability for land revenue, rates and cesses.
Waste land reclamation
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 defines waste land to include land left waste or uncultivated for at least three consecutive years because of matters such as waterlogging, salinity, sand accumulation, weeds or soil erosion. It provides for taking possession, arranging reclamation, compensating for the possession period, keeping accounts, recovering net government expenditure and ending possession when reclamation is complete.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does the Act automatically operate throughout Tamil Nadu?
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 extends to the whole of Tamil Nadu, but it comes into force in an area on a date specified by State Government notification. The State Government may cancel or modify that notification.
Can my land be included in a land improvement scheme?
Land in a notified area may be covered where the State Government considers a scheme desirable for purposes such as soil or water conservation, erosion control, protection from floods or drought, reservoir protection or waste land reclamation.
Can a landholder object to a draft scheme or claim compensation?
The Tamil Nadu Land Improvement Schemes Act, 1959 provides for publication of draft schemes, inquiry into objections and consideration of reports. It also provides for admission and inquiry of compensation claims and for appeals.
What land can be treated as waste land?
Waste land includes land that has been lying waste or uncultivated for at least three consecutive years because of waterlogging, salinity, sand accumulation, weeds, soil erosion or another cause.
