Dalit and tribal people, mostly women, on Tuesday staged rally in front of the State Assembly demanding land patta under the Basundhara scheme of the State Government. The dalit and tribals of the Banki area of Cuttack, Khordha and Nayagarh districts under the aegis of the National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) staged dharna at the lower PMG here protesting the State Government’s apathetic attitude towards them.
Dalit leader Ashok Mallick said they had been demanding allotment of land, along with pattas to dalits and tribal people, but the State is not paying heed to their demands. “Without land pattas, the dalit families are unable to apply for caste certificates. They are also deprived of Government benefits for not having a caste certificate,” he added.
Mallick said the State Government had promised the dalits and tribals to supply land pattas by December 28 under the Basundhara scheme, but in vain. “We will continue our dharna at the lower PMG till the demands are fulfilled,” said Mallick. He further stated that they had staged dharna for four days started from September 22 last year and then staged rally twice demanding only a four decimals of land for the poor, but the State is yet to pay attention to our problems.