60,000 indigenous families to get land rights in Assam

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced that 60,000 land pattas (allotment) will be distributed to indigenous landless families on October 5.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the state revenue department chaired by the chief minister in the presence of state water resource minister Keshab Mahanta and state industry & commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary.

Stating the resolve of the BJP-ruled Assam government to secure land rights for the native people of the state, Sonowal said, “With the vision to ensure land rights of indigenous people of the state, Assam Govt had formulated Land Policy 2019 following the recommendation of Hari Shankar Brahma Committee. We reiterate our commitment in this regard.”

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Sonowal had instructed the revenue department to undertake measures for involving the ministers and elected representatives of respective districts in the land patta-distribution programmes.

The chief minister also announced that the state government would provide land pattas (allotment) to one lakh native people by the end of this year of which 46,000 families have already received land allotments.

Another significant decision taken at the meeting held on Monday was to declare that small tea planters would be provided with land pattas at a ceremony that will be held in Jorhat along with the policy which will be finalised soon to rehabilitate the people whose houses were ravaged in floods and erosion.

Also, the decision of laying foundation stones at the three flood centres which will be set up in Majuli, Tezpur and Barpeta would be done at the earliest possible juncture.