Several key decisions taken in Assam Cabinet as regards Mission Basundhara 2.0, welfare of OBC

way2barak, Oct.29: In the weekly Assam Cabinet on October 29, several key decisions related to regarding the launch of Mission Basundhara 2.0, welfare of OBC communities, promotion of wood-based industries, etc., among others were taken. The Cabinet Meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

KEY DECISIONS: 

❖Mission Basundhara 2.0: Launch of Mission Basundhara 2.0 with the following land-related services which were non-digitised earlier

•Settlement of Annual Patta (AP) lands that have already been transferred from the original AP Holder to eligible occupant by granting Periodic Patta (PP) as per the Land Policy, 2019 with a view to confer permanent, heritable and transferable rights to the PP Holder
•Settlement of Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) land upto 1 Bigha of homestead land to selected categories of eligible occupants as PP land (after de-reservation of VGR/PGR and reservation of equivalent quantum of land as VGR/PGR)

•Grant of ownership rights to occupancy tenants (Rayats) as per the Assam (Temporarily Settled Areas) Tenancy Act, 1971

•Settlement of Government ‘khas’ land and ‘ceiling surplus’ land to eligible persons as per Land Policy, 2019

• Conferring permanent, heritable and transferable rights to tribal people through settlement of their hereditary land upto 50 bighas in relaxation of Land Policy, 2019

•Settlement of land for special cultivation (tea, coffee, rubber etc.) to indigenous growers as per Land Policy, 2019

•Rollout of e – Khazana for online payment of land revenue, local tax, other fees

•Rollout of Auto – mutation throughout Assam for Composite Land Transfer

❖Amending Land Policy to boost Mission Basundhara:

Amendment to Land Policy, 2019 for insertion of definitions of indigenous persons, generation, hereditary land, provisions for settlement of hereditary land of tribal communities, settlement of VGR and PGR land to eligible occupiers as a one-time measure under Mission Basundhara 2.0 with effect till December 31, 2023 and restructuring Sub Divisional Land Advisory Committee

•Rationalisation of premium rates for settlement of land in Guwahati city, municipal and revenue towns and rural areas for both homestead and ordinary cultivation purposes as a one-time measure
•Aadhaar authentication for land related services
•Circle Officers to be relieved from miscellaneous duties except statutory duties, law and order, elections, disaster management, census etc. to ensure quality and time-bound delivery of Mission services
•Approximately Rs.328.19 cr approved for implementation of Mission
•The 10 services of the first phase of Mission Basundhara will be continued via Assam Right to Public Services portal.

❖Benefitting Moran & Matak communities:

•Separate enlistment accorded to Moran (SI No. 14) and Matak (SI No. 33) communities in OBC list of Assam

•Presently, Moran and Matak communities are listed together at SI No. 14

❖`Limbu’: Change of nomenclature:

•Nomenclature of “Lihu” changed to “Limbu” in OBC list of Assam as well as Central list
•It was done keeping in view that although Lihu community is included as a sub-caste of Nepali community in OBC list of Assam, there is no “Lihu” sub-caste under Nepali community

❖‘Bhujel’ a sub-caste of Nepali community:

•”Bhujel” to be recognised as a sub-caste of Nepali community in OBC list of Assam
•This will ensure socio-economic development of Bhujel sub-caste, which shares the same status as that of Rai, Limbu, Magar, Thapa and Gurung sub-castes of Nepali community.

❖Fillip to Wood Based Industries:

• Promulgation of Assam Wood Based Industries (Promotion and Development) Rules, 2022
• Wood Based Industries (WBIs) to be categorised as Primary, Secondary and Composite WBIs

• Primary and Composite WBIs require licences and have to be inside Industrial Estates
• Secondary WBIs require registration and need not be inside Industrial Estates
• Agar oil extraction units delivered and brought under the regime of registration at Circle level
• Concept of raising captive plantation by WBIs to achieve twin objectives of assured supply of raw materials as well as augmenting assured income for the farmers

• Provisions for transfer of licence/ Registration on sale/ succession etc. to also be introduced
• Appeal against any order of SLC/ Registration Committee shall lie with Govt of Assam.