[ (1) ] The committee or such other authority or person as the Committee with the approval of the State Government, specify either generally or in respect of any area, may, in the manner prescribed, grant lands which have vested in it to the [ landless agricultural labourers2] , and the grantee of the land shall-
(i) where the land is situate in any state which has vested in the State Government under and in accordance with section 4 of the U. P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950, acquire in such land he rights and the liabilities of a Bhumidar with non-transferable rights,3 and
(ii) where it is situate in any other area, acquire therein such rights and liabilities and subject to such conditions, restrictions and limitations as may be prescribed and they shall have effect, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
(2) Where the committee or other authority or person as aforesaid fails to grant any land in accordance with sub-section (1) within a period of three years from the date of vesting of such land in the committee or from the date of commencement of the Uttar Pradesh Bhoodah Yagna (Amendment) Act, 1975, whichever is later, the Collector may himself grant such land to the landless agricultural labourers in the manner prescribed, and thereupon the grantee shall acquire the rights and liabilities mentioned in sub-section (1) as if the grant were made by the committee itself.
(3) [ * * * ] (4) In making grant of land under this section, the committee or, other authority or person as aforesaid or the Collector, as the case may be, shall observe the following principles :-
(a) At least fifty per cent of the land available for grant shall be granted to persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and persons belonging to the Kol, Pathari, Khairwar, Baiga, Dharikar, Panika and Gond Tribes and such other tribes as the State Government on the recommendation of the Committee may notify in this behalf ;
(b) The land situate in one village shall, as far as possible, be granted to persons residing in that very village.
Explanation-- For the purposes of this section; the expression landless agricultural labourer means a person whose main source of livelihood is agricultural labour or cultivation and who at the relevant time either holds no land or holds; land not exceeding 0.40468564 hectares (one acre) in Uttar Pradesh as a bhumidhar, [***] asami or Government lessee.]