Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced distribution of 1.25 lakh land pattas to people settling in refugee colonies and setting up development boards for backward groups for their socio-economic development.
Handing over land pattas to refugees will establish their proof of residence along with ration cards as a counter to BJP’s effort to win them over with citizenship award.
The announcement came a day before Union home minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to the state wherein he would tour Junglemahal areas and have lunch with Mathuas and tribals.
Without naming Shah, Miss Banerjee said that her relationship with the Mathuas is very old and she had personally supervised the treatment of Mathua head Boroma. “Now, new ministers are coming to the Mathuas but I have been involved with them since a long time,” she said.
Miss Banerjee said that 25,000 pattas would be given in the first phase.
“Many people have come from Bangladesh or other countries but they are now citizens of West Bengal. Mathuas and other minority communities earlier feared that their land was not regularised but we have fulfilled our promise. Our government has ensured land rights of tribals and decided that their land cannot be snatched,” said Miss Banerjee at a meeting with representatives of backward groups and folk and traditional artists at Nabanna Sabhaghar.
Miss Banerjee said complaints of difficulties in getting caste certificates have already been addressed. Henceforth, there is no need to furnish 50 to 70 years old documents for obtaining a certificate and instead caste certificate will be given to a person if any one member from his/her paternal side of the family possesses a certificate. If no member of his family possesses the certificate then an inquiry would be conducted and the certificate will be handed within two weeks, she added.