Yogi Government Expedites Land Ownership Rights For Bangladesh Refugees Who Came Before 1975

The government led by Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh (UP) is hastening the procedure to grant land ownership rights to approximately 20,000 refugee families. These families, primarily from East Pakistan (currently known as Bangladesh), relocated in the state between 1950 and 1975.

On Monday (21 July), a high-level meeting presided over by UP Chief Minister resulted in a decision. The discussion focused on the necessary measures for eliminating obstacles in granting ownership rights to displaced families. This was particularly pertinent for those residing in the reserved forest areas of Bijnor and Rampur, as well as dealing with other legal complications related to the process.

Officials state that the majority of these families originate from what was once East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, and have primarily established their homes in the districts of Pilibhit, Bijnor, Rampur, and Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials from the districts of UP assert that the majority of the relocated families are predominantly located within four districts. The initiative is based on a report submitted in May by the panel constituted last year under the leadership of Moradabad Commissioner Aunjaneya Singh, Indian Express reported, citing sources.

State Minister and Bilaspur MLA Baldeo Singh Aulakh affirmed that the Adityanath government is dedicated to granting overdue land ownership rights to the displaced. He stated that if everything proceeds according to plan, "concrete steps" towards this objective would be initiated by 15 August.

A high-ranking official conceded that pinpointing the families might prove challenging since numerous families first established their lives in the state via transit camps and may lack proper legal paperwork.

“There are 10,000 families who will benefit from the initiative. Among the biggest challenges is providing land for those in the forest areas of Rampur and Bijnor and segregating actual refugees from others in the villages,” a source was quoted as saying.

It is believed that around 20,000 families had initially settled in around 142 villages of the four districts, but their number has grown to be “far greater” now. The government can grant them rights for 13,000 acres of land in the four districts, which is free of legal hassles.