Land acquisition row sparks heated debate in Jharkhand Assembly

THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK

Ranchi, Feb 28: The fourth day of the budget session in the Jharkhand Assembly witnessed intense discussions as both the ruling party and the opposition raised concerns over irregularities in land acquisition. Issues related to compensation, No Objection Certificates (NOCs), and land mutation took centre stage, with MLAs alleging corruption and bureaucratic delays affecting farmers.

MLA Questions Government’s Stand on Land Ownership

MLA Nagendra Mahto questioned whether the government plans to grant ownership rights to farmers by collecting revenue from them in exchange for rent receipts for non-cultivated land.

Minister Deepak Birua responded that the previous BJP government had ordered an illegal investigation. However, he assured that individuals with settlements before 2018 can now apply online for ownership rights.

Opposition Alleges Corruption in Online Land Records

MLA Naveen Jaiswal raised concerns about discrepancies in the online land records system, claiming that account and plot numbers had been deliberately altered. He pointed out that in many cases, five acres of land had been reduced to just five decimals in official records. He also accused Circle Officers (COs) of demanding bribes between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 to process documents.

Minister Birua assured the Assembly that any complaints regarding such corruption would be taken seriously and strict action would follow.

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Long NOC Process and Compensation Delays Frustrate Farmers

MLA Naman Vikas Kongadi highlighted the plight of farmers who have voluntarily given up portions of their land for development projects. He questioned whether the government could lift restrictions on the remaining non-acquired land to prevent financial exploitation.

Adding to the concerns, MLA Suresh Paswan mentioned that in Deoghar, officials often cite an ongoing CBI investigation as a reason for delaying land receipts. MLA Rajesh Kachhap also pointed out that raiyats have yet to receive compensation for land acquired from the Judicial Academy to Nagdi.

In response, Minister Birua clarified that there is no legal provision to ban raiyat land. He assured that delays in issuing NOCs should be reported, and action would be taken within 15 days. He also stated that if any CO uses a CBI probe as an excuse for delaying the process, they will be issued a show-cause notice.

Speaker Calls for Immediate Action

The Speaker directed that the government’s order regarding NOC delays and compensation issues be communicated to all districts, ensuring transparency and accountability in land acquisition matters.