(1)Notwithstanding any law for the time being in force or any usage or custom or the terms of any contract or grant to the contrary, the Government or any officer or authority authorised by the Government may, for a public purpose, from such date as may be notified in the [Official Gazette] [Substituted for 'Jarida' by the APAO 1957.] and subject to the provisions of sub-section (7) as to the payment of compensation, assume the management of so much of the land held by a landholder and not in the occupation of tenants, as is in excess of four and a half times the family holding for the local area concerned unless in the opinion of the Government or such officer or authority, it is so efficiently cultivated and managed according to the standards prescribed under Section 53-B that a break-up will lead to a fall in production.Explanation I: For the purposes of this sub-section the standard of efficient cultivation and management will apply only to land which forms a compact block.Explanation II: In this sub-section 'public purpose' includes settlement of landless cultivators, development of co-operative organisations and increasing the efficiency of management:Provided that in calculating the excess of land owned by a joint family, every branch of it entitled under the Hindu Law to a share per stripes in the property owned by the family on the partition of the family, shall be allowed one family holding even though the aggregate of such shares may exceed four and a half times the family holding:Provided further that a declaration by Government that a land is required for a public purpose shall be conclusive evidence that the land is so required.
