Sarma Pledges Justice for Assam’s Tribal Communities Amid Land Reclamation Drive
Himanta vows land restoration to indigenous tribes.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has committed to freeing encroached lands from infiltrators and returning them to indigenous communities, stating that ethnic and tribal groups in Goalpara and Kamrup districts have lost political and economic rights due to rampant encroachment. On Tuesday, he distributed land title certificates under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to 4,673 tribal families from Garo, Rabha, Bodo, and Karbi communities in Chaygaon, Kamrup district. These families reside in reserved forest areas including Lakhra, Bondapara, Kulshi, Loharghat, Bamunigaon, Boko, and Singra.
Sarma described indigenous people as the true custodians of Assam’s ‘Jaati, Maati, and Bheti’—nationality, land, and foundation—and pledged justice and empowerment for them. Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the government has secured Boko, Dudhnoi, and West Goalpara constituencies, where demographic changes have made locals minorities. He attributed this to illegal immigrants settling under the pretext of being flood-affected, sometimes with local consent.
The Chief Minister urged citizens to stay vigilant against forest land encroachments by illegal settlers. He highlighted that dubious individuals have entered forests in Goalpara and Kamrup, causing destruction and occupation. Since 2021, his administration has evicted encroachers from 193 square kilometers of forest land, a step no prior government took, and continues efforts to reclaim more.
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As part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh Pakhwada (November 1–15), marking the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, Sarma handed over certificates and paid tributes to tribal icons including Jaya Thaosen, Rashimoni Hajong, and Swahid Kamala Miri. The government aims to grant land rights to every eligible tribal family in forest areas, resolving long-pending issues systematically.
Eviction drives and land allocations reflect a broader mission to protect Assam’s forests and empower indigenous communities, ensuring their legal rights and cultural heritage are preserved for future generations.
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