Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday distributed land allotment papers to people in Assam, ahead of the elections this year. Modi said Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was committed to protecting the land, language, and culture of indigenous people.
It was for the first time since Independence that such a large number of people were given ‘patta’ in Assam in one go. The event of the distribution of land allotment certificate took place at Jerenga Pothar in the Sivasagar district in Assam.
“The BJP-led government in the state is committed to ensuring that the indigenous people have legal rights over their land,” Modi said, after launching a drive to give ownership certificates to over one lakh families. Marking its launch, the prime minister distributed ‘pattas’ to 10 people at the historic ‘Jerenga Pathar’ here.
“When the Sarbananda Sonowal government took over the reins in Assam, more than six lakh indigenous families had no legal rights over their land. In the last few years more than two lakh such families have been allotted ownership certificates. “With more than one lakh families added today, the government has shown its commitment to protecting the rights of the indigenous people,” Modi said.
“The previous governments in Assam never cared for the rights of those who loved this sacred land,” he said. “The land ownership certificates (pattas) will guarantee their ‘Swabhiman’ (pride), Swadheenta (freedom) and Suraksha (protection),” he added.
Allotment of land patta to indigenous people:
•  The government will be allotting a total of 2,28,160 land pattas in just 4.5 years.
•  PM Modi will be initiating the beginning of the allotment to 1.06 lakh people.
•  Assam government has even taken steps in freeing the encroachments from Vaishnavite monasteries and Kaziranga National Park.
Protecting the land rights of indigenous people:
Taking into account an urgent need of protecting the land rights of the indigenous people of the state, the Assam government came out with a comprehensive new Land Policy with an emphasis on protecting the land rights of the indigenous people
Why is it important to grant land to landless families?
According to the official of the Assam government, because of the uncontrolled migration in the state from across the border, the demography of Assam, especially its lower region has gone some major unprecedented changes.
The process snowballed into a major problem of changing the demographic profile in some districts of Assam. Some of the lower districts have also faced the brunt of the implosion of doubtful citizens, which were once dominated by the indigenous communities of the state.
In order to change this trend, it has become significant for the current Assam government to ensure granting of land to the indigenous landless families of the state.
