Yogi Adityanath directs land ownership for over 10,000 families displaced from Bangladesh

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday instructed officials to grant legal land ownership to over 10,000 families displaced from Bangladesh) between 1960 and 1975. These families have settled in districts including Pilibhit, Lakhimpur, Bijnor, and Rampur.

Land rights

The CM emphasized that if land ownership cannot be granted due to unavailability, alternative plots should be provided to the affected families. While these families have been settled for decades and built homes, legal transfer of land has not been completed due to various administrative and legal obstacles.

National responsibility

Calling the initiative a "national responsibility" rather than a mere land transfer, Yogi Adityanath said this step recognizes the struggles of the displaced families who sought refuge and resettlement in India. “These families, which took refuge in India and have waited for rightful rehabilitation, must be treated with sensitivity and dignity. It is the moral responsibility of the government,” he added as reported by TOI.

Legal reforms to address land ownership gaps

The Chief Minister noted that following the repeal of the Government Grants Act in 2018, it was necessary to explore alternative legal mechanisms under existing laws to grant land rights to these families. He directed officials to identify appropriate provisions to resolve pending issues.

Historic step

“This is not just a policy decision. It is a sensitive and historic step toward delivering justice to those displaced families which have lived in uncertainty for decades. This effort must be viewed through the lens of social justice, humanity and national responsibility. It is a chance to restore dignity to lives long overlooked,” the CM said as quoted by TOI.

Challenges in land regularisation

Officials told the CM that thousands of families fled communal violence in between 1960 and 1975 and were resettled on agricultural land in the districts mentioned. However, legal ownership remains unresolved for most due to record discrepancies, administrative delays, and land being recorded under the forest department.

“Although land has been allotted in several villages, various legal and administrative hurdles, including incomplete transfer procedures and lack of physical possession, have prevented many families from receiving formal land rights. In some areas, families from other states also remain without legal ownership,” one official said to TOI.

The official added that many displaced families have cultivated these lands and built permanent homes, yet their names are missing from official records. Cases were cited where original allottees no longer reside in the area, and some individuals have occupied land without completing legal formalities, leading to further complications.

(With inputs from TOI)