The Assam Fixation of Ceiling of Land Holding Bill passed in the Assembly

The Assam Fixation of Ceiling of Land Holding Bill was passed by the Assam Assembly today. The bill will provide land pattas to tea workers.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the passing of the amendment Bill a ‘historic moment’.

As a result of this bill 2.18 lakh bighas of land in the tea gardens will be given land rights to more than 333,000 landless tea garden workers. However, the bill does not include the Jalha tea garden workers. The bill will benefit 14.57 lakh families of tea workers.

This amendment bill does not include the working classes in tea gardens engaged in other agricultural activities. As per the information received, the garden committee will be formed for the land patta. After the issuance of leases, the workers will get assistance for construction of housing. For this, the state government will soon come up with a special plan.

Assam Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare Minister Rupesh Gowala said, “Today is a historical day for our tea garden brothers and sisters. Our tea worker friends who have been deprived of their rights throughout the decades will get rights to their land.. Under this law, the government will acquire the land of tea garden labour lines and allocate the land to the workers. After a long wait of 200 years, the owners of the land will be the families of 3.33 lakh tea workers.”