Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that the state government is working on a new law to restrict land transactions in select revenue circles, allowing sales only between individuals who have been residents of the state since at least 1951. This is part of a larger effort to safeguard the land rights of the indigenous population.
Speaking at the launch of the e-Chitha Land Valuation Certification portal, a new citizen-centric initiative by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Sarma outlined his government's commitment to protecting the land rights of the indigenous people while also granting land rights to eligible landless dwellers.
“We are identifying specific revenue circles where only those whose families appear in the 1951 voter list or National Register of Citizens (NRC) can buy or sell land. This bold law will be introduced in March,” Sarma said.
He added that similar laws would be introduced for specific categories of communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the undivided Goalpara district, which includes present-day Goalpara, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, and South Salmara-Mankachar districts.
"Many such laws will be enacted during the implementation of Mission Basundhara. Our government is committed to safeguarding our 'jati' (community), and the decisions we take now will determine our future survival," Sarma emphasized.
The chief minister also revealed plans to introduce a new law soon to protect core agricultural land and prevent its misuse. He highlighted an amendment made during the last assembly session that restricts land sales within a 5-km radius of "iconic structures" to only residents who have been living there since 1951.
This amendment is currently being implemented in parts of Barpeta, Batadrava, and Majuli. Sarma also urged District Commissioners to identify iconic structures in their districts for similar protection.
Another amendment, based on the recommendations of the Justice Biplab Sarma committee on the Assam Accord's Clause 6, makes the sale of tea land for non-tea purposes without government consent a punishable offense.
As part of the government's continued land reforms, Mission Basundhara 3.0 is set to launch on October 2. This edition will address rejected applications from previous versions and ease guidelines for deserving indigenous communities to secure land rights.
In addition to individual settlements, the new mission will also cover temples, namghars, youth clubs, and cremation grounds. Surveys of non-cadastral villages, which previously lacked maps or land deeds, are now at the settlement stage and will be included in the latest mission.
Sarma also highlighted the introduction of an "escalation model" in the Revenue Department, a system similar to those used in corporate sectors. Under this model, unresolved cases automatically escalate to higher officials, ensuring timely resolutions. Sarma called for this model to be extended to other government departments.
The newly launched e-Chitha Land Valuation Certification portal will allow people to verify the ownership history of plots of land, enhancing transparency and preventing record manipulation. Sarma emphasized that this will particularly benefit businesses setting up new units in the state.
The Assam government remains committed to transparent land reforms and easing the burden on officials while protecting the rights and heritage of the indigenous people.
