Now, Odisha ST people may sell land to non-tribals as Cabinet amends law

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Tuesday decided to amend a law to allow the Scheduled Tribe people to sell their land to non-tribals in scheduled areas, with permission from the state government.

A member of the ST community, however, will not be permitted to sell off all plots under his or her possession, as the person cannot become landless or homesteadless, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said.

Industrialisation is likely to get a boost in the state by this move, an official said.

The decision for amendment of the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by STs) Regulation, 1956, was taken for the larger interest of the ST people following recommendations of the Scheduled Tribes Advisory Council, Jena said after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

In 2002, after some amendments were made to this regulation, ST-category citizens were allowed to transfer immovable property only to tribals. Due to this provision, many people belonging to the community were facing difficulties, he said.

Before 2002, no land belonging to a member of the ST community was sellable.

"Now, an ST person can gift, exchange for public purposes or obtain a loan by mortgaging a plot of land in a public financial institution for agriculture, construction of residential house, higher studies of children, self-employment, business or establishment of small scale industries or transfer it in favour of a person not belonging to ST community for these purposes," Jena said.

The ST person, however, will have to obtain written permission from the sub-collector to sell the land. If the sub-collector does not okay this, the person can appeal to the collector within six months, whose decision shall be final, the chief secretary added.

The Cabinet also approved construction of Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project Phase-1 from Bhubaneswar Airport to Trisulia Square in Cuttack, a distance of 26 km.

The Cabinet has given its approval for engaging Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) as a turn-key consultant for execution of Phase-I of the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project, said Jena.

There will be 20 Metro stations on the route. The estimated cost of the first phase of the project is Rs 5929.38 crore and it is targeted for completion in four years.

A recently announced scheme for improving infrastructure and patient care in public healthcare facilities in the state also got approval from the Cabinet, Jena said.

A tender of Rs 307.87 crore for execution of two mega piped water supply projects in Bolangir district out of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was also approved by it.