[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n
Bhubaneswar: A day after the Opposition parties came down heavily on the state government for Cabinet nod to amending some provisions of Regulation-2 of Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property Amendment Regulation to facilitate the transfer and mortgage of land belonging to scheduled tribes (STs), the State government, in a significant development, has withheld its decision.<\/p>\n
Taking to social media, Odisha Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi\u00a0 shared that the government has put a hold on the amendment recently passed in the Cabinet meeting. \u201cThe proposed Amendment to Regulation-2 of 1956 discussed in the Cabinet meeting held on 14th November 2023, regarding the transfer of Tribal lands, has been withheld,\u201d Odisha Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi wrote on his X handle on Thursday.<\/p>\n
On November 14, the State cabinet had approved amendments to some provisions of Regulation-2 of Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property Amendment Regulation to facilitate the transfer and mortgage of land belonging to scheduled tribes (ST).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The amendments, as recommended by the Scheduled Tribe Advisory Council, allows a person from the ST community\u00a0 to gift or exchange for a public purpose or obtain a loan by securing a mortgage in a public financial institution\u00a0 with the written permission of the Sub Collector.\u00a0\u00a0He may also transfer his land to a person not belonging to the ST category. If the sub-collector does not grant permission, then the person can appeal to the collector within six months and the decision will be final.<\/p>\n The government had sought to introduce the amendments as the previous provisions, in view of larger interests of STs, had imposed various restrictions in scheduled areas. However, in 2002, some amendments had allowed an ST to\u00a0transfer his immovable property only to STs. Besides, a scheduled tribe person in a scheduled area can mortgage his land to any public financial institution for agricultural purposes only.<\/p>\n The recent amendment was an attempt to resolve these restrictions further as educated tribal youths were facing difficulties. The move however had been received with scathing attack from the Opposition.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an attempt to loot the land of tribals. It is a conspiracy to hand over their land to industrialists. The BJD government had earlier implemented law preventing sale of tribals\u2019 land to others. The Congress had earlier demanded to allow tribals to mortgage their land for availing loan. However, the government has now also allowed transfer of land, which appears to be a conspiracy to loot them,\u201d said Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati.<\/p>\n The BJP also criticized the government over the move.\u201cWhile the Special Development Council (SDC) for tribals was formed by the government in 2017, it has not done anything significant for them. It was constituted only to woo voters for elections. The government is now planning to provide musical instruments to tribals. However, it will not lead to actual development. Real development lies in education and health sector. Unfortunately, there is lack of doctors in hospitals and shortage of teachers in schools in tribal-dominated districts of the state,\u201d said Nityananda Gond, President, BJP ST Morcha.\u201cThe government is busy in forming strategies for elections. It has been shedding crocodile tears for the tribals,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n