Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has proposed to directly purchase land from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) during emergencies, allowing them to reclaim it when financially able.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari announced the formation of a committee, led by the revenue secretary and including departmental representatives and experts, to recommend measures for this initiative, which is aimed at protecting vulnerable communities from being pressured by influential individuals to sell their land.
“A corpus fund will be established to buy land from those in need,” he said, adding that the policy is still in the planning stage and will be implemented after consultations with the stakeholders..
The minister noted that some people manage to acquire such lands through indirect means despite restrictions under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, which prohibits non-tribals and non-SCs from purchasing ST and SC land without sub-collector approval.
He said that tribals and Dalits sell their land to non-tribals during emergencies like medical treatment, daughter’s wedding, or funding children’s education. “The government is making efforts to stop this practice through free healthcare and financial aid for education. ‘Mukshya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojana’ will soon be launched for daughters’ marriages to reduce the need for land sales,” he said.
Pujari further stated that only 10-15% of applications for selling land were found to be genuine, with most influenced by external parties. “This has to stop. If they still want to monetise it for any reason, the government plans to buy and then hold the land for two to three years, and allow sellers to repurchase at the same price. If the seller is not in a position to purchase it back, the land will be auctioned within their communities,” he said.
He also mentioned the 2023 proposal by the then BJD government to allow tribals to sell land to non-tribals under specific conditions, which was abandoned due to widespread protests across the state.
