Kolkata: It was a historic day for the refugees in Bengal. Their decade-long worries ended on November 4, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced unconditional free hold title deeds for the residents of refugee colonies in the state.
Since the 1980s, Mamata Banerjee had been fighting for their land rights and the day marked nothing but an overwhelming victory!
"We have regularized all refugee colonies in the state. There are many who have settled here after coming from different countries including Bangladesh. At present, they are citizens of our country," Banerjee said, adding that at least 1.25 lakh pattas will be distributed in phases.
The first phase of handing over 25,000 pattas started on the same day with some of the beneficiaries receiving the same at Nabanna Sabhaghar in the presence of the Chief Minister.
"I have been fighting for the land rights of these people since when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. I had seen the problems of the people residing at refugee colonies at Jadavpur and continued fighting to help them get free hold title deeds. It was in 1987-88 when I first raised the issue. Then only one person had the same," Banerjee said.
Again, lakhs of people from scheduled caste and scheduled tribe community will be benefited with the move of the Bengal government in helping them get caste certificate without providing documents prior to 1950. The state has brought necessary changes in the law in this regard and one will be getting a caste certificate within four weeks of their application along with a related document of any one from his or her family. Even if no one in the family possesses any related document, then there is a provision of giving them certificates based on enquiry from elderly people from the area. "No more, it is a time taking matter as the process has been simplified and even 50 years old documents are also not required," the Chief Minister said.
Banerjee has also announced reopening of Jai Bangla app for another week after Kali Puja for those who haven't applied for its benefits yet. Students of different communities also received scholarships at Nabanna Sabhaghar during the programme in which the Chief Minister interacted with representatives of Matua, Bagdi and Bauri communities.
Banerjee also inaugurated a bus terminus at Itahar through a video conference from Nabanna Sabhaghar. Banerjee has also mentioned Centre's step motherly attitude towards the state. She alleged that the Centre isn't releasing the pending funds for the Bengal government despite collecting tax from here.