The Odisha government has put on hold the state cabinet’s decision to allow the transfer of land owned by tribals to non-tribals after stiff opposition.

Revenue and Disaster management minister Sudam Marndi wrote on his X handle: “The proposed Amendment to Regulation-2 of 1956 discussed in the Cabinet meeting held on 14th November 2023, regarding transfer of Tribal lands has been withhold.”

The Naveen Patnaik government in its cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a proposal to amend laws allowing the scheduled tribe people (ST) to transfer their land to non-tribals in scheduled areas with written permission from the local sub-collector.

In a press release, the government said the educated youth belonging to the scheduled tribes were facing many difficulties as they were unable to transfer the land.

“Realising this problem, based on the recommendation of the scheduled tribes’ advisory council, some amendments to this (The Orissa Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property By Scheduled Tribes) Act have been approved by the cabinet,” said the release.

The state government had further said: “Accordingly, a scheduled tribe person may, with the written permission of the sub-collector, make a gift or exchange for public purposes or obtain a loan securing a mortgage in a public financial institution for agriculture, construction of residential house, higher studies of children, self-employment, business or establishment of small industries or transfer the same favour of a person not belonging to the scheduled tribe for the above purpose.”

The state had maintained that if the sub-collector did not grant the permission, then the person could appeal to the collector within six months, whose decision should be final. However, the Opposition criticised the move of the government and said the amendment was done to help land mafias, industrialists and contractors who would find easy to buy tribal land. “It’s a conspiracy against the tribals,” said senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati.

“Earlier there was a legislation passed in the Odisha assembly that prohibited transfer of land to non-tribals in 2002. The legislation was passed to protect the interests of the tribals. Now what prompted the government to change its stand,” asked Bahinipati.