Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The announcement regarding the implementation of provisions of land ceiling in Guwahati has given jitters to a section of people owning large areas of land in the capital city.
The Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Landholding Act, 1956, was enacted with the aim to limit land ownership and ensure equitable distribution of lands, mainly land for agriculture and allied activities. The state government amended the act last in 2024. And now, the government is contemplating making this act applicable in Guwahati city.
According to sources, a section of businessmen started purchasing huge areas of land after the state capital was shifted to Guwahati from Shillong. However, ever since, most of those lands have been lying fallow or being used partially.
An industrial atmosphere has been prevailing in the state for the last few years, and the situation is turning for the better after Advantage Assam 2.0. Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma made it a point in clear terms that if the government cannot provide required lands to the investors, the government will not be able to translate the MoUs signed during the recent investment summit into a reality.
According to sources, a preliminary survey has revealed that the city has some people, each of whom owns 30-100 bighas of land, and most of such lands are used partly.
In her speech while tabling the budget, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said that the government would develop an industrial land bank across the state. "The government has 6,500 acres of industrial lands, including 3,100 acres of allocable space. Additionally, we are developing 11,660 acres of land," she said.
According to sources, the government is now devising a mechanism that will halt the mutation of lands by people owning huge areas of land to their near and dear ones now. According to sources, the government might have its eyes on such lands to provide them to investors who do not need vast areas of land, but they want lands in prime locations. If a person owns 50 bighas of land in Guwahati, sources sniff that the government may leave him around 20 bighas for the owner, and the rest of the land will go under the ceiling act.
In the original ceiling act, a person could own 150 bighas of land in rural areas in 1956. In 1972, the government amended the act and reduced the ceiling to 75 bighas. The third amendment to the act reduced the ceiling to 50 bighas in rural areas.
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