Meghalaya: Khasi Hills Autonomous District land bill receives governor’s approval

Meghalaya Governor, Satya Pal Malik has given his assent to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Regulation and Administration of Land) Bill, 2021, which seeks to protect and conserve the land tenure system prevailing in the Khasi Hills.

Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief executive member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne informed that the Bill has finally got the assent of the Governor and the District Council Affairs department has sent the government gazette notification to the Department of Printing and Stationery for printing and will be published very soon. 

“This is a big achievement for the UDP-led executive committee in the KHADC. Previous ECs despite putting in all-out efforts could not get the Land Bill approved by the Governor”, said CEM Chyne.

The (Regulation and Administration of Land) Bill, 2021 was passed by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on November 10, last year.

Earlier, the KHADC had recalled the KHAD (Regulation and Administration of Land) Bill, 2020 passed in June 2020 after the same was referred to the expert committee constituted by the state government, the same year.

The KHADC chief said that the Bill will empower the clan, the dorbar shnong, and the dorbar raid to issue land documents.

“Now after the Bill has been granted the assent by the Governor, land documents issued by the clans, traditional heads with the approval of the district council will have to be recognized by the banks and other institutions,” he said.

Chyne further stated that the Bill will to a great extent address the problems related to the exorbitant rate charge while issuing land documents.

“The Bill clearly stated that all fees for Dulir Pynskhem, identification, recommendation, Dulir Patta, No objection certificate shall be as prescribed and notified by the executive committee from time to time,” he said.

When asked, the KHADC chief said that the Act will also help in addressing the issue of landlessness among the tribal indigenous people.

“The executive committee can declare areas as land banks so that we can allot the same to the landless tribal people,” he said.

The Land Bill clearly stated that the executive committee (EC) may with the consent of the Chief and his Dorbar, Dorbar Raid, Dorbar Shnong, or the Land Owner or clan(s) as the case may declare and set apart any area of land as Land Bank. Such a declaration shall be reported to the district council in session.

The administration and management of the area declared as Land Bank shall lie with the committee constituted by the executive committee consisting of the executive member in charge of Land, it said.

The Bill further stated that the executive committee after prior consultation with the respective Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid, and the Dorbar Hima may by notification fix a ceiling over the settlement, allotment, or setting a part of raid land made by it or under its sanction under the provisions of this Act.

In fixing such a ceiling, the EC may prescribe a limit both in the number of plots as well as the size of the land that each person or family may hold. Any area found in possession or occupation of any person in excess of the ceiling so fixed shall be illegal and void, it said.