Undeterred by the vociferous protests of the Opposition, the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) on Thursday approved major changes in the CNT and SPT Acts, making it clear that no tampering will be done with the spirit of the two tenancy laws.
It said that the land ownership rights will remain with the original ‘raiyats’ (tribals) even if they go for changing the nature of agricultural land and use it for non-agricultural purposes.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting at Project Building here, TAC members louis Marandi, Ram Kumar Pahan and Shiv Shankar Oraon said that the Ordinance promulgated by the State Government which was still pending with the President now stands null and void and a fresh bill will be brought in the Assembly during the coming winter session for discussion.
“No changes have been brought in the Acts, rather only partial changes are being done in Section 21-B of CNT and Section 13-A of SPT Acts under which agriculture land could be converted into non-agriculture land so that the ST, SC and OBC ‘raiyats’ could also do some commercial activities on their own lands,” said Social Welfare Minister lois Marandi. In the earlier ordinance passed by the State Government, no mention was made regarding the ownership of the land which has now been made clear during the meeting today, she added.
It was also made clear that the land will not be acquired by the State Government for any industrial or non-welfare schemes.
“Doubts were also being raised on the intention of the government that the land of the original ‘raiyats’ will be grabbed by brining Industrialists from outside but it’s not like that. Rather, under the new provision, the State Government could acquire land only for welfare schemes like construction of schools and hospitals on their land but it will have to first notify that for what purpose it is being acquired. The State would only be able to acquire the land if Gram Sabha gives its approval to the same and consent by the raiyats,” said Pahan. The land could not be acquired by the State Government for non-welfare schemes at any cost, he added.
Pahan added that changes are being made in Section 21 and Section 49 of CNT Act. Under Section 21, agriculture land could be changed into non-agricultural land while under Section 49, land could be acquired by the State Government for welfare schemes and infrastructure development.
“Earlier, only mining and industrial purposes were there in the Act, we have also added ‘for betterment of common masses’ (infrastructure development) in it. The Government will have to seek land from the ‘raiyat’ for which he will be paid four times of the original price of the market value,” said Pahan.
Pahan also made it clear that the land could be regularised only if the commercial activity was done by the raiyat; it will not get regularised if he gives his land to someone else.
Answering a question raised regarding the availability of bank loans on such land, Pahan said that a committee had been formed in this regard which had also submitted its report. “A decision has been taken by the TAC that the bank loan will be given on such loans to the raiyats for which State Government will become a guarantor for the same,” he said.
Remarkably, out of a total of 18 members of TAC, four members — Tala Marandi, Geeta Koda, Enosh Ekka and Vikas Singh Munda were not present during the meeting. Two other members – Deepak Birua and Joba Manjhi walked out of the meeting questioning the authority of the State Government to make changes in the CNT and SPT Acts.