New land policy by Assam Government to protect tribal belts and blocks

GUWAHATI: The new land policy being drafted by the Assam Government will have specific, stringent and adequate measures to effectively protect land under the tribal belts and blocks in the State from encroachment and illegal selling or transfer.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has already instructed the Revenue department to incorporate such measures in the new land policy. Sonowal, while reviewing the status of progress of drafting the new land policy, expressed serious concern over the alleged encroachment of lands under tribal belts and blocks by people with suspected nationalities and antisocial elements and wanted to root out these elements through the new policy.

As per the Chief Minister’s instruction the Revenue department has already incorporated specific and adequate measures in the new land policy to protect and preserve Xatra land in the State as well. Sonowal has asked the Revenue department to lay similar emphasis (like Xatra land preservation) on protection of land at tribal belts and blocks.

There are 85, 80,842 bighas of land under 17 tribal belts and 30 tribal blocks in the State. The process of reservation of land under such belts and blocks started soon after the country’s independence. The first notification towards this end was issued on December 5, 1947 when land were reserved in Sidli situated in Goalpara district then. Land was preserved in Lakhimpur district for the second time through an official notification issued on April 28 in 1948. The notification issued on July 12 in 1948 reserved land under tribal belts and blocks in Darrang district.

Various ethnic and other organizations have been raising the demand of clearing land under tribal belts and blocks from encroachments by suspected Bangladeshis and non-tribals. There were instances of illegal sale and transfer of land under these blocks by unscrupulous elements. Many people belonging to different ethnic groups, who are living in the State for centuries, have become landless due to such encroachment.

The first draft of the new land policy is already ready. But the Revenue department is incorporating certain measures at the instruction of the Chief Minister to safeguard the rights of indigenous people over their land in the State. The Revenue department is expected to be ready with the modified draft of the new policy which will be submitted to the Chief Minister for the final seal of approval.

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