Land law changes will help tribals, says government

RANCHI: A day after some tribal leaders expressed concerns about the government's move to amend the century-old Chotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act at the BJP state executive committee meeting, the state information and public relations department addressed the media to quell speculations about the proposed changes to the land laws.

The conference was addressed by principal secretary of personnel, administrative reforms and Rajbhasha department Nidhi Khare and secretary, revenue and land reforms K K Soan at Suchna Bhavan. The officials said the ordinance was sent for President's approval in June and the ministry of home affairs has to take a final call over the matter.

"According to procedures, the MHA seeks opinion and suggestions from various stakeholding ministries at the Centre and thereafter gives its final opinion. We have information that some of the stakeholding ministries are yet to furnish their responses for which the MHA is waiting," Khare said.

Speaking about the need for amendments, the officials said that Sections 21, 49 and 71A of the CNT Act and Section 13 of the SPT Act are proposed to be amended to give financial freedom on land use pattern to the tribal raiyat (land owners).

"Under Section 21 of CNT and 13 of SPT Act, tribal landowners were restricted against non-agricultural use of their land. This is being amended so that they can use it for other purposes like setting up shops, hotels, dhabas or marriage halls and pay at the rate of 1% of prevalent market rate as revenue to the government against the plot of land being used for non-agriculture purpose," Khare said.

Under Section 49 of CNT Act, the land owners are allowed to transfer land for mining and industrial units after permission from the deputy commissioner, the government now proposes to allow them to transfer land for road, canal, water pipeline, transmission infrastructure and public utilities like schools colleges and panchayat.

Khare said by amending Section 71A, the government has decided to completely do away with the provision of transfer of tribal land under compensation scheme. "No more tribal land can be transferred and those grabbed earlier in the name of compensation would be restored," she said.