Draft Land Policy Home Department Seeks Definition of ‘Indigenous’

GUWAHATI: The State Home and Political Department, in its observation on the draft ‘Land Policy-2019’ for the indigenous people of Assam, has significantly asked the State Revenue Department to first ensure the definition of the term ‘indigenous’. It has further asked the Revenue Department to also examine if the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951 can be taken up as the base for determining the definition of the term.

After drafting the ‘Assam Land Policy-2019’, the Revenue department had forwarded it to 11 other departments of the State government for their respective views including ‘inclusion to’ or ‘ommissions from’ the proposed land policy. Among the departments whose views are being sought are Home & Political, Law, Personnel, Agriculture, Forest, Finance, Industry, Guwahati Development, and Urban Development. However, if the departments do not respond within the stipulated deadline with their respective “additions to” or “deletions of” points from the draft then it would be taken for granted that the departments have given their consent to the draft land policy.

Meanwhile, almost 50 per cent of the 11 departments have already replied to the draft with their views over the draft land policy. The Revenue Department expects that the remaining departments would also forward their view at the earliest. Sources, informed that considering the wide parameters of the land policy including legal, it is natural that some departments are taking some extra time for offering their suggestions.

The draft ‘Land Policy-2019’ has been prepared by two officials of the Revenue and Disaster Management department in consultation with senior officials of that department and the Chief Minister’s Office. The draft report is based on the recommendations of the ‘Committee for Protection of Land Rights of the Indigenous People of Assam’ headed by former Chief Election Commissioner Hari Shankar Brahma, the ‘Land Policy of 1989’ and the draft ‘Land Policy of 2016’. The Brahma Committee was constituted on February 6, 2017, by an order issued by the Governor of Assam. It submitted the report to the State Government on January 18, 2018.

Considering the lengthy process, it is expected that the new land policy will be approved by the State government in the fag end of 2019.

Also Read: Draft Land Policy To Focus On Survey In Sar Or Riverine Areas