September 15, 2020: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday held a review meeting of Reveneu department at Assam Adminstratrive Staff College and it was decided in the meeting that land pattas would be distributed to 60 thousand indigenous families of the state on October 5. It is to be mentioned that 46 thousand families have already been provided land pattas by the state government so far.

The Chief Minister also announced that the state government would take steps for providing land pattas to more than one lakh indigenous families within this year. Moreover, the Chief Minister would formally launch the ‘Arundhati’ scheme of state government on September 24 by providing the price of one tola (10 grams) gold i.e. Rs 40 thousand each to beneficiaries of the scheme.

Among the decisions taken in the meeting, small tea growers would be provided land pattas ceremonially at a programme at Jorhat while the policy would be finalized soon to rehabilitate the people rendered homeless by flood and erosion in the state. It was also decided that foundation stone of three flood centers to be set up at Majuli, Tezpur and Barpeta would also be laid at the earliest.     

Saying that state government has been giving topmost priority to provide land pattas to landless people, Sonowal directed the Revenue Department to take steps for involving the ministers and MPs in-charge of respective districts in the land patta distribution programmes to be held in all districts. He also said that state government has formulated Land Policy 2019 following the recommendation of Hari Shankar Brahma Committee on Protection of Land Rights of Indigenous People while taking steps for freeing encroachments from satra lands. Ensuring the land rights of indigenous people of the state is a prime objective of the government, he said.

The Chief Minister also stressed on the need to create adequate awareness about ‘Arundhati’ scheme so that intended beneficiaries come forward to take advantage of the scheme.