January 14, 2002
'27'
INDIA TO ASSIST KENYA IN FORMULATING ITS LAND LAWSIndia has offered to assist Kenya in formulating its land laws system.
The offer of assistance came during a meeting between the visiting Kenyan Commission of enquiry into the land law system led by Mr. Paul Ngungu and Union Minister of Agriculture, Shri Ajit Singh, here today. India also assured to help Kenya in formulating laws relating to planning of agriculture and urban land and also laws relating to dispute regulations. During discussions, the visiting delegation said that Kenya has embarked on studying the land laws system of a few foreign countries including India. They said that India and Kenya have lot in common including the history of colonial rule. Mr Ngungu said that Kenya attaches a lot of importance on studying India’s land lawsbecause of this commonality. He said that Kenya had in the past borrowed several laws from India including the Evidence Act and other Criminal Acts.
Shri Ajit Singh told the delegation that India has special laws for its agricultural land. He said, since agriculture is a State subject different State Governments have laws of their own relating to agricultural land. He said that India has brought out a National Agricultural Policy aiming at a higher growth rate. He said that India also has a policy on National Resources Management including Watershed Development Programme for rain-fed areas. Besides, the country has implemented Land-Ceiling Laws, Land Consolidation Laws and Forest Laws. The Minister told the visiting delegation that India makes use of satellite imagery for land use planning and crop production forecast. He told the delegation that India is also working on a massive programme for rural agricultural marketing in view of surplus foodgrain production in the country.