Assam Government Grants Forest Land Title Deeds to 4,673 Tribal Families

On November 11, 2023, Assam witnessed a landmark step toward tribal land ownership as 4,673 tribal households received forest land title deeds at a government function held at Pantan High School playground in Chaygaon, Kamrup district. Organized by the Kamrup District Administration in collaboration with the Department of Tribal Affairs (Plain), the event marked a major milestone in the state’s ongoing efforts to secure land rights for indigenous communities. The distribution coincided with the “Jatiya Gaurav Varsh Fortnight,” celebrating tribal heritage and commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Beneficiaries came from diverse communities, including Garo, Rabha, Bodo, and Karbi, residing across forest ranges such as Lokhara, Bondapara, Kulshi, Loharghat, Bamunigaon, Boko, and Singra. These families received formal legal recognition of lands they had occupied for generations.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that the initiative demonstrates the government’s firm commitment to providing permanent land rights to Assam’s tribal population. He stated that the aim is to ensure every tribal person living in forest areas gains legal ownership, highlighting that the government’s sustained efforts have “brought relief to thousands of families” and gradually reduced disputes over land ownership. Since 2021, the state has been implementing key provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2005, benefiting tribal families across districts including Sonitpur, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and the Bodoland Territorial Region. Another 5,000 families in Sonitpur and Biswanath are expected to receive land pattas in the near future.

The distribution is part of the broader Basundhara scheme, under whose first phase over 1.5 lakh tribal households were granted ownership documents. Following consultations with tribal organizations, the government later increased the permissible landholding limit from seven to fifty bighas to accommodate the ground realities of forest-dwelling communities. Additionally, approximately 600 villages have been converted from non-cadastral to cadastral areas, enabling thousands of families to claim legal ownership for the first time. Sarma remarked that after nearly 78 years of independence, tribal people in the East and West Kamrup forest divisions have truly become landowners, calling it a matter of pride for the state.

Addressing encroachments, the Chief Minister noted that 1.45 lakh bighas of forest land had been cleared so far, with further operations planned in Hasila Bill, Paikan, and Dahikata in Goalpara district. He urged citizens to assist in preventing future encroachments. He also highlighted that recent delimitation has reserved the Boko, Goalpara West, and Dudhnai constituencies for tribal communities, strengthening their political representation. Sarma urged communities to preserve their language and cultural traditions, noting that Birsa Munda’s vision of cultural preservation remains highly relevant in Assam today.

The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting tribal rights while promoting education and empowerment, stressing that these measures will safeguard the identity and dignity of indigenous people across the state. Floral tributes were also paid to Birsa Munda and other tribal leaders, including Jaya Thausen, Bashimoni Hajong, Kamala Miri, Katiram Rabha, Hemram Patar, Maghiram Kachari, Bhimbar Deuri, and Bir Sambhudhan Phonglocha.

The program was attended by ministers Ranoj Pegu, Ashok Singhal, and Pijush Hazarika, MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLAs Suman Haripriya, Hemanga Thakuria, and Nandita Das, and RHAC chief executive member Tankeswar Rabha, among others, reflecting broad political and administrative support for the government’s tribal land rights initiatives. This event stands as a significant milestone in Assam’s efforts to empower its indigenous communities and secure their legal rights to land.