Transfer of land in favour of State Government

(1) Where an agriculturist intends to transfer his land in favour of the State Government he shall give a notice of his intention to transfer the land, in the prescribed form and manner, to the Collector of the District in which the land or any part thereof is situate, specifying the price at which he is willing to transfer such land. The Collector shall, thereupon hold an inquiry in the manner prescribed, and determine the reasonable price of the land, and shall forward the case to the State Government with his recommendations. (2) The State Government, on receipt of the recommendations of the Collector under sub-section (1), may decide to purchase the land or refuse to purchase it, and shall communicate its decision within six months from the receipt of recommendations of the Collector, through the Collector, to the notice server or in case the land is owned jointly by more than one person to all of them, in the manner prescribed. (3) The Collector shall, as soon as may be, after the receipt of the decision of the State Government under sub-section (2), take steps to make payment of the reasonable price, determined by him under sub-section (7) subject to orders of the State Government, to the owner, or owners, as the case may be, in the manner prescribed, or intimate refusal of the State Government to him or them, as the case may be. (4) Immediately on payment of the reasonable price under this section, all rights, title and interest (including contingent interest, if any) in the land of the owner, or owners, as the case may be, shall be extinguished and shall stand transferred to, and vested in, the State Government free from all encumbrances: Provided that the vestment of land in the State Government shall not affect the rights of a tenant in such land.