Assam to adopt new policy to protect the land rights of indigenous people
The state govt had constituted a committee for recommendations to its new land policy in February last year. The panel submitted two reports to the govt, but their contents are yet to be made public.
The BJP-led government in Assam has decided to adopt a new land policy for the state to protect land rights of indigenous people.
The state government had constituted the committee headed by former chief election commissioner Hari Sankar Brahma in February last year.
After traversing the length and breadth of Assam, the committee submitted two reports to the government — the final one was submitted in January this year, but their contents are yet to be made public.
On Wednesday, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed the revenue department to implement the recommendations of the Committee on Protection of Land Rights of Indigenous People.
The decision is in line with the BJP’s poll plank of protecting ‘jati, mati, bheti’ — identity, land and base — of the indigenous people of Assam, which catapulted it to power for the first time in the northeastern state.
The submission of the interim report last year and interviews by Brahma had caused a storm as it alleged that vast tracts of land in the state have been occupied by persons of doubtful citizenship.
The reports contained 180 recommendations including suggestions to carry our fresh land survey — the last one was done in 1964 — and distribution of land to the landless.
In a statement, the CM stated that one of the key priorities of his government was to ensure land rights of indigenous people. He directed the revenue department to take steps to allot land to landless people in the state.