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

Assam Chief Minister 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."

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The Chief Minister also asserted that Bishnuram Medhi and Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi formed the Tribal Belt and Block in Assam, however, to protect the land of the tribal people outside the Tribal Belt and Block the state government has decided to form Micro Tribal Belts.

Going forward transfer of land from one community to another should not be carried out easily, said CM Sarma.

"We have also decided to bring another law so that we can protect the last land the state has," he added.