BHUBANESWAR: The state assembly on Thursday passed a Bill to amend the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, to confer land rights to those possessing land sublet to them by the land owners.
Those who currently possess homestead or agricultural land sublet to them by the owners, and recognized in government records as ‘Sikkim’ type land, will get record of rights (RoR) or land pattas and become rightful owner of the property after the Odisha Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 comes into effect.
Revenue and disaster management minister Sudam Marndi moved the Bill for consideration of the House. In a statement, the minister said the sub-tenants or their successors can apply with the revenue officers within two years after the amended Odisha Land Reforms Act, 2023 is implemented.
The move will benefit around two lakh small and marginal farmers in Cuttack, Puri and Balasore districts, who are in possession of such land. Though they possess the land, they can’t sell it without proper record of rights.
Amendment will help those with ‘Sikkim’ land sans RoR
They have to pay compensation of Rs 14,200 per acre to the landowners to get the land records in their names. The state cabinet had approved the amendment on October 19.
People who possessed land but had no record of rights had last applied for pattas in 1977. The amendment will help those possessing ‘Sikkim’ land without RoR to apply for the same.
Earlier, speaker Pramila Mallik adjourned proceedings till 4 pm after BJP and Congress legislators created ruckus demanding complete withdrawal of a cabinet decision to allow tribals sell their land to non-tribals.
Moments after the House reconvened for the day around 10.30 am, the opposition members stormed into the well of the House on the tribal land issue for the second day in a row. owing to the protests, no business could be conducted in the pre-lunch session. The BJP members staged protest outside the assembly, raising slogans against alleged conspiracy to grab the land of tribals.
BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi and Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati termed the state government anti-tribal.
