Assam to Introduce Law Restricting Land Transactions in Key Revenue Circles: CM Sarma

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that his government is working on new legislation to restrict the buying and selling of land in certain areas of the state. The law would apply to individuals or families who have been residing in Assam since at least 1951.

Speaking at the launch of the e-Chitha Land Valuation Certification portal, a citizen-focused initiative of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Sarma explained that the new law aims to safeguard the land rights of indigenous people. The government is also planning amendments to existing laws to provide land to landless residents who are eligible for it.

Sarma revealed that the proposed legislation will prohibit land transactions in specific revenue circles, allowing only families whose names appear on the 1951 voter list or the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to buy or sell land. This bold legislation is expected to be introduced in March.

In addition, Sarma mentioned plans for another law to prevent land transactions within the same category for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in the undivided Goalpara district. This district originally encompassed the present-day areas of Goalpara, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, and South Salmara-Mankachar districts.