PM to launch programme to allot 'patta' to over 1 lakh indigenous people in Assam


PTI | Guwahati | Updated: 21-01-2021 21:08 IST | Created: 21-01-2021 21:08 IST
PM to launch programme to allot 'patta' to over 1 lakh indigenous people in Assam
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi onSaturday will launch a special programme of the Assamgovernment to distribute land 'patta' or land allotmentcertificates to over one lakh landless indigenous people.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also scheduled toarrive in Guwahati on January 23 on a two-day visit to Assamand Meghalaya.

However, Modi and Shah do not have any commonprogramme in the state.

The prime minister will also virtually address the18th convocation of Tezpur University on Friday.

''At 10:30 AM tomorrow, 22nd January, I look forward toaddressing the Convocation of Tezpur University. This is awonderful opportunity to interact with the bright youngstersfrom Assam and the Northeast,'' Modi tweeted.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, ''Theprime minister will formally launch the distribution of land'patta' to more than one lakh indigenous people who have beenliving uncertain lives for decades. No government in Assam hasever took such a people-friendly initiative in the past.'' This is for the first time since independence thatsuch a large number of people will be given 'patta' in Assamin one go.

The event will be held at Jerenga Pothar in Sivasagardistrict, a historical place connected with Assam's erstwhileAhom kingdom.

Sonowal said many government land, tribal blocks wereencroached by suspected illegal immigrants and his governmenttook the initiative to evict them and provide the land to theindigenous people -- most of them are tribals, OBCs and ex-teagarden labourers.

''The successive Congress governments ignored the pleasof the local people to give the land rights as a result thepeople have been living a life of constant fear. We will endthis uncertainty and the prime minister will begin this nobleprocess,'' he told PTI.

Sonowal said to fulfil people's aspirations, the BJP-led government took this initiative to safeguard 'jati, matiand bheti (community, land and roots).

''It is an irony that due to the previous government'slackadaisical approach and indifferent attitude, the landlessindigenous people were deprived of their rights for long 70years. They even had to go through intense sufferings tosafeguard their base,'' he said.

An official said because of the uncontrolled migrationfrom across the border, the demography of the state,especially the lower Assam region had gone throughunprecedented changes.

''The phenomenon snowballed into a grave problem ofchanging the demographic profile in some districts of thestate. Some of the lower Assam districts have borne the bruntof implosion of doubtful citizens which were once dominated byindigenous communities,'' the official said.

To reverse this trend, it became imperative for thepresent state government to ensure granting of land to theindigenous land less families, the official said.

The Sonowal government has already allotted land'patta' to more than one lakh landless indigenous families.

On the Union home minister's visit, an official saidShah will launch the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme forcentral paramilitary force personnel in presence of UnionHealth and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan here onSaturday.

He will then reach Meghalaya to chair the plenarysession of the North Eastern Council (NEC), the nodal agencyfor the economic and social development of the region, inShillong on the same day.

On Sunday, Shah will return to Assam and attend aprogramme to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing ofthe Bodoland Territorial Region Accord, which provides forpolitical rights, economic package to the Bodo tribals livingin Assam, at Kokrajhar.

He will also address a BJP rally at Kendukuchi inNalbari district of the state where the assembly election isdue in March-April.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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