Jharkhand Commission to study restrictions on sale of tribal land

    Ranchi, May 21 (PTI) The Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) of Jharkhand on Wednesday decided to set up a commission to study the restriction on the sale of tribal land to anyone who is not a resident of the police station area, and make a recommendation regarding it.
    The council also gave its consent on the proposal to permit off-premises retail liquor shops in tribal-dominated areas, provided the location is declared a tourism site, a statement said.
    The decisions were taken at a meeting of the council, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
    BJP members of the council, former CM Champai Soren and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi, boycotted the meeting.
    The statement said the commission will study all aspects of the restriction on the sale of tribal land to anyone who is not a resident of the police station area, and submit a report within six months.
    Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act's Section 46 restricts the sale of tribal land to anyone who is not a resident of the police station area where the land is located.
    A tribal may transfer his land through sale, exchange, gift or will to a fellow Scheduled Tribe member and residents of his own police station area, it states.
    The council also gave its nod to the proposal to permit the settlement of off-premises retail liquor shops in tribal-dominated areas, specifically in panchayats with 50 per cent or more tribal population, the statement said.
    The location should be declared a tourism site of international, national, state, or local significance, excluding sites of religious importance, it said.
    "This is aimed at promoting tourism, safeguarding revenue interests, and controlling illegal liquor," it added.
    Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Soren said, "Various issues related to tribal welfare, inclusive development and preserving tribal language, culture and traditions, were discussed in the meeting. The obligation of police station limits for the sale and purchase of tribal land was also discussed."
    On the BJP boycotting the meeting, he said, "It is nothing new. Whenever they are in the opposition, they do not cooperate with the government."
    The meeting of the council was held after a gap of nearly one and a half years. The last meeting was held on November 16, 2023.
    Asked about the NITI Aayog meeting on May 24, the CM said, "The Centre has a big role to play in the all-round development of the states. Different departments work at the central and state levels for the betterment of the people, and all of them are interlinked. All such matters would be taken up."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)