Assam: APCC to draft new land policy with suggestions from experts

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has decided to draft a new land policy to introduce it as a private member bill in the State Assembly with a view to enacting a new land act in the state.

Speaking to the media today, APCC president Bhupen Borah said that the party had a meeting earlier in the day under the aegis of the legal department of the party and CLP leader Debabrata Saikia. The meeting had a threadbare discussion on eviction and land policy in the presence of several legal experts and noted social workers, Borah said. He added that those present at the meeting gave their opinions and suggestions, and those who could not attend the meeting gave their written statements.

Borah said that the court did not approve many policies of the state government. The Congress and other parties of the Opposition Forum have decided to draft a land policy to introduce a private member bill in the state assembly so as to enact a new land policy. The CLP leader will table the bill on the floor of the House, he said, adding that ‘it’s well and good if the government accepts the bill. If it doesn’t, we will introduce it after coming to power in the state’.  Debabrata Saikia said, “According to information received from various organisations, around 80/90 land conflicts are going on in the state.”

Saikia alleged that the BJP-led state government violated the Rayati Act by converting the rayati land as jamindari (feudal lords) lands and acquiring the same land from jamindars for power projects in many areas in the state. In the process, the government evicted the sons of the soil from the rayati lands and deprived them of compensation for the lands acquired, he added. 

He further said there are allegations from various quarters that the government is selective in evicting people. “We also want to protect the rights of the Assamese and not to allow any Bangladeshis or foreigners to buy land. In doing that, we need to ensure nobody should be deprived of justice. Experts and people involved in social life will give us suggestions in drafting the land policy,” he said.

 Also Read: Assam's New Policy To Allow Each Tribal Family To Own Up To 50 Bighas of Land (sentinelassam.com)

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