By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 1: Assam has a total land area of 78,438 sq km. Of this, 30.16 lakh hectares are available for agriculture. But Assam’s agricultural land is decreasing gradually. The trend of converting agricultural land to non-agricultural land is responsible for this to a large extent.

It has been noticed that in the past couple of years, businessmen, mostly non-Assamese, have been seeking permission to convert agricultural land to non-agricultural land for setting up industries. In fact, some builders are also constructing apartments on agricultural land.

According to government sources, State Agriculture Minister Nilomoni Sen Deka and his predecessor Pramila Rani Brahma were opposed to the conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural land. Despite this, a section of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of some districts have granted, and continue to grant, permission for this kind of conversion.

In 2012, permission was granted for conversion of 300 bighas of agricultural land into non-agricultural land under the Dalgaon revenue circle in Darrang district. Similarly, permission was also granted for conversion of 37 bighas of agricultural land under Pathorighat revenue circle and 9 bighas and 1 kotha agricultural land under the Sipajhar revenue circle.

In 2011, permission was granted for conversion of 281 bighas 2 kotha 3 lessa agricultural land under the Dalgaon revenue circle. Permission was also granted for conversion of 7 bigha 3 kotha 13 lessa agricultural land under Pathorighat revenue circle and 23 bigha 1 kotha 16 lessa agricultural land under the Sipajhar revenue circle.

In the same year, permission was granted for conversion of 168 bigha 4 kotha 2 lessa agricultural land under Tihu revenue circle in Nalbari district, 163 bigha 2 kotha 15 lessa agricultural land under the Nalbari revenue circle and 26 bigha 3 kotha 18 lessa agricultural land under the Balijana revenue circle in Goalpara district.

In 2010, permission was granted for conversion of 74 bigha 2 kotha 11 lessa agricultural land under the West Nalbari revenue circle in Nalbari district.

Sources further said that many applications seeking permission for conversion were under consideration, even in the Kamrup district. Most of the applications have been submitted by non-Assamese businessmen.

Businessmen buy agricultural land at low prices and then seek permission to convert the land into non-agricultural land so that they can set up industries there. This is profitable for them but this trend has resulted in the shrinkage of Assam’s total agricultural land. And this is a matter of concern.