Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Amendment bill passed to safeguard heritage sites

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024 has been passed. 

This Bill introduces Chapter 12 into the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886, allowing the government to designate a 'Heritage Belt and Block' around structures over 250 years old. 

The legislation restricts land transactions within a 5 km radius of these heritage sites to residents who have lived there for at least three generations. 

Also Read: Assam government mulls to form Micro Tribal Belts to protect land of Indigenous people

Sarma expressed gratitude to the legislators for supporting the Bill in the Assam Legislative Assembly, which aimed to preserve cultural landmarks like Mandirs, Naamghars, and Sattras.

Earlier on August 15,  Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that his mission is to protect the identity of the indigenous people of Assam, which he believes is under threat due to a significant demographic shift. 

He announced plans to introduce strong laws to prevent the transfer of land in iconic places, preserve lands belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, and implement micro-tribal belt provisions.

During the Independence Day celebrations, Sarma said, "I myself know that the population is changing in Assam, the demographic change, this change has pushed the indigenous people of Assam into a protected environment today. I want to make several new efforts in the coming days to ensure that the sale of land of tribal and other backward castes in the undivided Golpara district cannot go to other communities under any circumstances, we have decided to bring in a strict law. This decision will protect the land rights of Koch Rajbongshi, Boro, and Rabha among others."