The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Land and Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Features of the bill
The Bill is designed to protect the land rights of vulnerable communities and preserve cultural identities in villages predominantly inhabited by Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Heritage Blocks Creation:
Introduction of heritage blocks to safeguard land surrounding significant heritage sites.
Iconic sites include Satra areas of Majuli, Barpeta, and Batadrawa, among others.
A new Chapter XII added to the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation of 1886.
Heritage institutions will be designated as protected areas to prevent encroachment and preserve their socio-cultural and religious identities.
Future Legislative Plans:Protected Zones:
A 5-kilometer radius around the designated heritage structures will be established as protected zones.
Land Restrictions:
Restrictions on land transactions within a 5-kilometer radius of 250-year-old structures, including temples, mosques, churches, and cultural institutions.
Only individuals who have resided in the area for three generations will be allowed to purchase land around these structures.
Future Legislative Plans:
The government plans to introduce provisions to restrict inter-community land transfers involving protected SC and ST communities.
Initial restrictions will apply to the undivided Goalpara district (excluding BTR areas).
The State government also plans to release a white paper on Assam’s demographic changes in the April session of the State Legislative Assembly.
Implications of the Assam Land and Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024
Cultural Preservation:
Protects the land around significant heritage sites, preserving cultural and religious identities.
Ensures the conservation of iconic locations like Satra areas, enhancing the preservation of local traditions and historical heritage.
Land Use and Agriculture:
By restricting land transactions around heritage structures, the bill indirectly protects agricultural land from being converted for non-agricultural use, potentially benefiting local farming communities.
Preserves traditional farming practices in heritage blocks by maintaining stable land ownership within these culturally significant areas.
Community Rights and Social Stability:
Provides a framework to protect the land rights of SC and ST communities, reinforcing their socio-economic stability and cultural heritage.
Restricting land purchases to long-term residents helps maintain community integrity and prevents external influences that could disrupt local social structures.
Industry and Development:
While the bill imposes restrictions on land transactions, it could spur local industries focused on heritage tourism, creating economic opportunities in areas surrounding protected sites.
Encourages responsible development and tourism that respects and leverages Assam's cultural assets without compromising their integrity.
Demographic Insights:
The upcoming white paper on demographic changes will provide valuable data to help plan future development while considering cultural and community needs, aiding in balanced regional planning.
The Assam Land and Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to safeguard land rights and cultural identities by creating heritage blocks and protected zones around significant sites. It introduces restrictions on land transactions near historical structures to preserve their heritage and socio-cultural value. Future legislative plans will further restrict land transfers involving SC and ST communities and provide insights into demographic changes.
