Odisha Government Acts to Prevent Transfer of Tribal Lands

03 Jan 2025 CW Team

During the first meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC), chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, a proposal to amend Rule-2 of the 1956 Land Transfer Act, aimed at preventing the transfer of tribal lands, was rejected.

The TAC, formed in November 2024 with a tenure of two years, is expected to make significant decisions in the coming years. Chief Minister Majhi assured that the state government is committed to ensuring justice for tribal communities in all areas and protecting their rights. He emphasised the importance of delivering justice to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) through the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by Scheduled Tribes) Regulation, 1956, and affirmed that necessary measures would be taken to integrate tribal communities into the mainstream.

The meeting also discussed a proposal to include the Mundari language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, along with deliberations on other tribal languages. A state-level workshop will be organised to facilitate consultations on the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, with the participation of block and district-level tribal representatives, MPs, and MLAs.

On January 5, the state government will launch the Saheed Madho Singh Hath Kharcha Yojana, which will provide an annual stipend of Rs 5,000 to students enrolled in classes IX and XI, aiming to reduce dropout rates and encourage higher education. Additionally, efforts are underway to convert 705 schools under the Saheed Laxman Nayak School Transformation Programme into model schools, as confirmed by official sources.

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The Odisha government will explore alternative solutions to assist tribal communities in addressing various needs, such as funding for weddings, higher education for children, or business ventures through loans, to prevent them from having to sell their lands. During the first meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC), chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, a proposal to amend Rule-2 of the 1956 Land Transfer Act, aimed at preventing the transfer of tribal lands, was rejected. The TAC, formed in November 2024 with a tenure of two years, is expected to make significant decisions in the coming years. Chief Minister Majhi assured that the state government is committed to ensuring justice for tribal communities in all areas and protecting their rights. He emphasised the importance of delivering justice to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) through the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by Scheduled Tribes) Regulation, 1956, and affirmed that necessary measures would be taken to integrate tribal communities into the mainstream. The meeting also discussed a proposal to include the Mundari language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, along with deliberations on other tribal languages. A state-level workshop will be organised to facilitate consultations on the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, with the participation of block and district-level tribal representatives, MPs, and MLAs. On January 5, the state government will launch the Saheed Madho Singh Hath Kharcha Yojana, which will provide an annual stipend of Rs 5,000 to students enrolled in classes IX and XI, aiming to reduce dropout rates and encourage higher education. Additionally, efforts are underway to convert 705 schools under the Saheed Laxman Nayak School Transformation Programme into model schools, as confirmed by official sources.

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