No plan to transfer agricultural land to industry: Assam govt

GUWAHATI: Assam government today clarified it does not have any intention to acquire agricultural land for industrial purpose but only plans to reclassify those unused land, where farming never took place.

"There is no intention of the government to give agricultural land to industrialists. What we communicated to all the DCs is that there are lots of land in Assam that were wrongly classified as agricultural land but no cultivation took place ever due to unfavourable conditions," Additional Chief Secretary for Revenue Subhash Chandra Das told PTI.

The government today held talks with Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which has been spearheading an agitation for the last 10 days opposing an official communication regarding reclassification of agricultural land in the state.

The government intends to only correct this and wants to reclassify those lands as "non-agricultural" so that "some developmental works" can be carried out in future, he said.

On sale of agricultural lands by farmers, Das said: "It is completely his personal right to sell or purchase land. If the farmer sells his land parcel for industrial purpose, only then the concerned Deputy Commissioner (DC) has to give a 'No Objection Certificate'."

The government had issued an Office Memorandum to all the DCs in the state, asking them to reclassify all those agricultural land which have been lying idle for more than 10 years, and it will not at all override the existing land laws in the country, he added.

KMSS, under the leadership of RTI activist Akhil Gogoi, protested against this and a relay hunger strike was conducted, forcing the government to invite them for talks.

One KMSS activist had even tried to commit suicide by slitting his wrist during the agitation, but was saved after being treated.