RANCHI: State government is likely to introduce a revised Bill in the upcoming Budget Session of the State Assembly making last land survey report (khatiyan) as its basis. Sources in the state government said that this time the Bill will not limit the cut off year to 1932 land survey but the last land survey conducted in the districts.
Notably, Governor Ramesh Bais had returned 1932-Khatian based Local Policy Bill-2022 passed by Jharkhand Assembly on January 29, asking the government to review its legality in accordance with the constitution and in orders passed by the Supreme Court.
The bill passed by the Jharkhand Assembly was sent to the Governor for his approval, according which, a person having domicile of Jharkhand shall mean a person who is an Indian citizen and resides within the territorial and geographical limits of Jharkhand and his or her ancestor’s name is recorded in the khatian (land records) of 1932 or earlier.
“A new local policy is being considered on the basis of last Land Survey Settlement and not 1932 Khatian, which means the districts, in which the last survey has been done, will be made the base for the policy,” said a senior official in the state government. There will be provisions for landless people too, and will be identified through Gram Sabha, he added.
According to official, their names and addresses would be verified through Gram Sabha. It will also be ascertained through the Gram Sabha that their names are not there in any government document in any other State, he added.
Senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) functionaries also asserted that recruitment policy based on land records (Khatiyan) will be introduced in the Assembly. “Those who are having a ‘khatiyan’ are the owner of their land, and hence, actual residents of this state,” said the JMM functionary.
Meanwhile, a survey is being conducted among the youths to gauge their opinion regarding what they would like to see as a prospective rule. Under this survey, candidates are receiving a recorded call from the CM himself saying that the government does not want to challenge HC’s order nd wants to start the recruitment process.
State traders to go on strike from February 15
Jharkhand could be heading to a food crisis with grain merchants calling an indefinite strike from February 15 against the Jharkhand State Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing Bill 2022 that introduces a market fee on perishable food commodities. All kinds of small and big shops are likely to remain closed during the strike called by traders.