BHUBANESWAR: The Revenue department on Thursday informed the Assembly that it does not possess data on landless farmers. Replying to a question from Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramilla Mallik said ‘landless person’ as per Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act 1972 has been defined as a person whose total extent of land excluding homestead together with the lands of all the members of the family living in common mess is less than one standard acre and the total income of the entire family does not exceed Rs 60,000 or as determined from time to time.
Mishra has specifically asked to define who is a landless farmer and requested the minister to furnish district-wise figure of landless persons.In a written reply, Mallik said, “The department does not possess district-wise list of landless farmers.”
Curiously, the state government is providing financial assistance under KALIA scheme to landless farmers.
To another question of Mishra whether law permits to allow anybody to possess land of a farmer as share, the minister said, “Under Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960 there is no such provision by which a farmer can induct a ‘bhaga chasi’ (cropper)or allow anybody to possess the land as share.Mishra has been raising these questions for a long time as to how a landless person will be treated as farmer and will be entitled for benefits under schemes meant for the farmers.