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Bhubaneswar, August 8: In a major respite to lakhs of urban poor across the state, the Orissa government Tuesday decided to provide land rights and property rights to slum dwellers in small towns and cities respectively.
While land rights will be given to the slum dwellers in Notified Area Council (NAC) and Municipalities areas, the urban poor living in municipal corporation jurisdictions would get property rights.
A decision in this regard was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“We have taken a historic decision today to grant land rights to the slum dwellers living in municipal councils and NACs of the state and property rights to those living in municipal corporation areas,” Patnaik told the media after the meeting. Describing the government’s decision as “historic”, Patnaik said the Cabinet Tuesday approved promulgation of two ordinances – Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Ordinance, 2017 and Odisha Minicipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, for assigning land rights and property rights to the identified slum dwellers for development, rehabilitation and upgradation of slums.
The Opposition, however, views the move by the state government as a master stroke by the ruling BJD ahead of the urban polls scheduled to be held in 2018 in the state.
As per the decision, chief secretary AP Padhi said the beneficiaries in NACs will get 600 square feet land each while their counterparts in municipalities would get 450 square feet land. However, the beneficiaries in municipal corporation areas can avail 300 square feet of built-up area for residential purpose.
The urban poor in slums will get land rights for residential use that is heritable, mortgageable and non-transferrable. In corporate areas, limited transferrable rights will be given, Padhi said.
Padhi said an Urban Poor Welfare Fund will be constituted for targeted rehabilitation, redevelopment and upgradation of slums and provision of basic urban services.
