Bhubaneswar, Nov 23: The storm over the tribal land transfer issue continued for the second day at Odisha Assembly with the Speaker adjourning the house till 4 pm.
Opposition parties BJP and Congress created a ruckus as soon as the question hour began on Thursday. Despite requests made by Speaker Pramila Mallik, the relentless commotion by the opposition parties forced the speaker to adjourn the house.
Recently, the Odisha Cabinet on November 14 had given its approval to amend Regulation-2 of The Orissa Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by Scheduled Tribes) Regulations, 1956, based on a recommendation from the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC). The proposed amendment entails that individuals belonging to scheduled tribes (ST) will be allowed to gift, exchange for public purposes, or secure a loan by mortgaging a plot of land in a public financial institution.
The purposes for which this land can be utilized include agriculture, construction of residential houses, funding higher studies for children, self-employment, business ventures, or the establishment of small-scale industries. Additionally, the amendment permits the transfer of land to a person outside the ST community for these specified purposes.
However, the Cabinet decision was withheld two days later.
