Guwahati: The Assam Government has decided to extend the deadline for submitting applications for Mission Basundhara 2.0 to March 31, 2023.
This was annouched by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday.
While speaking at the Winter session of the Assembly, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “In order to ease the process and give more time to the people, the state government has decided to extend the application date to Mission Basundhara.”
Further speaking on the recent judgement by the Apex court on eviction, the CM said, “If we have to listen to judgements of Apex court then Mission Basundhara will not happen.”
“The Apex court in its judgements have said that eviction drive should be carried out at Village grazing reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) land but if we keep on reading the judgement of top court then and tell the village people about the judgement then it will be an eviction.”
The Assam Chief Minister recalling the judgement of the Apex Court on Punjab said that even land belonging to VGR/PGR even settled by the tribal people also must be evicted, however, if the land on the parallel ground is available for VGR/PGR then the land may be given to the said inhabitants.
Speaking about Mission Basundhara, the CM stated that in its third phase, the state government is making an effort to follow the Supreme Court’s directives and that it is considering giving land patta to those who live on VGR/PGR land.
“The interest of the state government is all the indigenous people/ Indian citizens should be given the right to land except some specified land such as forest land which may be ecologically disturbed,” said CM Sarma.
This time, the state government has added a category under the VGR/PGR: land pattas would be provided to those who have been resettled by the government or through the MNP (Minimum Need Programme) House Site Scheme.
The state government is also considering establishing a VGR/PGR statute that would assist the occupants of the aforementioned land in obtaining land pattas.
The Assam chief minister further stressed that the state government is not planning to establish any new reserve forests, but rather, it is considering eliminating the category known as “Proposed Reserve Forests.”
The deadline for submitting claims under Mission Basundhara has been extended until March 31, 2023, the CM further stated.
“Application of Mission Basundhara has been extended until March 31, 2023,” he added.