Kolkata: The state government on Monday tabled in the state Assembly a Bill to grant land rights to the residents of 51 enclaves of Chitmahal. These enclaves became a part of India after the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh was signed in August 2015, putting an end to a complicated land dispute that lingered seven decades since Independence.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee moved the West Bengal Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2018 that under Section 3B(1) proposes land rights to a total of 37,334 enclave dwellers and also to 922 persons who opted for Indian citizenship. They are now staying in a total of 7,110.02 acres of land that has been added to the Indian territory. They were living in the enclaves without any identity or citizenship rights.
Terming it as a historic day for the enclave dwellers, Banerjee said: "It has taken a fairly long time - as many as 60 years to materialise the land boundary agreement. I am happy that none of the 37,334 enclave dwellers on the Indian side have left India. A total of 922 dwellers preferred to come over to India. The Bill proposes to give them land deed."
She also took the opportunity to point out the Centre's apathy towards monetary support for the development of the new Indian citizens.
"The land boundary agreement is an international treaty between two countries and Ministry of External Affairs has a role to play. When the 51 enclaves in Cooch Behar were included, the MEA promised that they will provide funds of around Rs 1,002 crore. We have received only Rs 426 crore and the Centre owes us Rs 576 crore," she added.
She further pointed out that the government has already spent Rs 101 crore for constructing houses for these people. "Each family is getting 35 kg of rice a month, three kg pulses, two kg salt, two litres of edible oil and one kg of baby food. We are also arranging for ration cards and voter ID cards for them," she maintained.
The Chief Minister said that all state government schemes will be extended to them. She maintained that he would urge the state Panchayat minister to examine the possibilities of bringing them under Panchayat and involve them in government work until the elections to the Panchayats are held. "Now they are owners of land as bona fide Indian citizens," she said.
Banerjee also referred to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam, "Some forces in the neighbouring Assam are denying citizenship to genuine residents. Few have even committed suicide," she added, recalling the Indira-Mujib Treaty in 1971 that states that India should accept people coming from Bangladesh on or before 1971 as citizens.