BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has begun the process for the identification of people who lack homestead land or housing under any government scheme.
The Revenue and Disaster Management department has asked all districts to prepare a list of leases given to homestead-less and landless people since 1947 under different provisions of law, schemes and guidelines at the earliest.
Sources said district collectors have been directed to collect the information and submit a report on the decadal basis in a descending order with effect from the 2023-24 financial year. The identification process was initiated after it came to the notice of Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari that record of rights (RoRs) have been issued by authorities in favour of homestead-less and landless persons without due sanction of lease and even without opening of case records.
During field visit and interaction with people, the minister also came to know that actual possession of land has not yet been handed over to many homestead-less and landless persons even though they have been issued RoRs.
The Revenue department has also instructed district officials to get a calendar ready for actual verification of possession and RoR correction. There are many who are unable to construct houses sanctioned under housing schemes due to lack of land in their names. “The process will help landless people get possession of land they have been allotted in a time-bound manner. RoRs can also be corrected simultaneously when required,” said an official of the department.
Meanwhile, the state government has made a comprehensive plan to ensure every citizen a homestead plot and a roof over head within next five years. As per the plan, people in rural areas with an annual income below Rs 1 lakh and without a homestead plot will be allocated four decimal of land. If people reside on government land that is not classified as gochar (pasture land), jalchar (wetlands) or cremation grounds, the land will be officially settled in their names.
Eligible families will also receive benefits under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and facilities like water and power supply after the land is registered in their names. Similarly, slum dwellers will get four decimal of homestead land, provided the land is free from objectionable categories.