Assam: Last date for filling application in Mission Basundhara extended to March 31, 2023

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the state government has decided to extend the date of filling applications in Mission Basundhara 2.0 until March 31, 2023.

Speaking at the Winter session of the Assembly, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "In order to ease the process and give more time to the people, the state government has decided to extend the application date to Mission Basundhara."

Further speaking on the recent judgement by the Apex court on eviction, the CM said, "If we have to listen to judgements of Apex court then Mission Basundhara will not happen."

"The Apex court in its judgements have said that eviction drive should be carried out at Village grazing reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) land but if we keep on reading the judgement of top court then and tell the village people about the judgement then it will be an eviction."

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The Assam Chief Minister recalling the judgement of the Apex Court on Punjab said that even land belonging to VGR/PGR even settled by the tribal people also must be evicted, however, if the land on the parallel ground is available for VGR/PGR then the land may be given to the said inhabitants.

Speaking on the Mission Basundhara, the CM said that in its third instalment the state government is trying to abide by the orders of the Supreme Court, and the state government is mulling providing land patta to people residing in the VGR/PGR land.

"The interest of the state government is all the indigenous people/ Indian citizens should be given the right to land except some specified land such as forest land which may be ecologically disturbed," said CM Sarma.

The state goverment this time has introduced the category under the VGR/PGR:

For the people who have been settled by the state goverment or under the MNP (Minimum Need Programme) House Site Scheme, land pattas will be provided.

The state government is also mulling introducing an act on VGR/PGR which will help the people residing on the said land get land pattas.

The Assam chief minister also stressed that the state government is not proposing to create any new reserve forest but, there is a category called "Proposed Reserve Forest" to which the state government is mulling to put an end to it.

The CM further added that the last date for filing claims through Mission Basundhara has been extended until March 31, 2023.

"Application of Mission Basundhara has been extended until March 31, 2023," he added.