Workshop on 'Homestead ownership to landless' in Patna tomorrow

Patna, May 23 (UNI) A day-long workshop on ''Securing policy on ownership rights on Homestead Land'' would be organised here tomorrow to ensure legal entitlement for landless and marginalised section on homestead land.

Secretary of the Deshkal Society Sanjay Kumar told newspersons here today that despite the Bihar Privileged Persons Homestead Tenancy Act was promulgated in 1947, about six lakh families were still to get its benefit and had no option but to face the agonies with 'stoic silence'.

'' It is distressing to note that landless and marginalised people, not having ownership rights over the homestead land, are deprived of the benefits of government-sponsored welfare programmes and are even denied of getting ration cards, opening Bank account, registration of name in BPL list, '' Mr Kumar said adding, '' Once they get ownership on their homestaed land, their life would witness qualitative change. '' During a survey of 20,000 families in Gaya, it was found that 13,500 families were not having the Rights to homestead lands, he said and added that a pilot project was launched there to ensure that ownership papers were delivered to these people by the authorities.

Chairperson of Deshkal Society and retired IAS officer K B Saxena, Principal Secretary of State Revenue and Land Reforms department Dr C Ashok C Vardhan and State Labour Secretary Vyasji are among other important dignitaries, who will participate in the workshop.

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