MLR&LR Bill 2015 will not harm interest of hills: Govt
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 31 2015: An emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh was held Monday evening to discuss various protests and the bandh in hill areas imposed by tribal student bodies in protest against the three Bills passed by the State Assembly on Monday.

Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), General headquarters, All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) called the 12-hour hour general strike that began at 6 am Monday.

The Manipur Land Revenues & Land Reforms (7th Amendment) Bill, 2015 will not harm the interests of the hill people, the meeting clarified.

The Government also appealed all to desist from committing acts that can incite tension between the communities of the valley and hills.

After the meeting which was held at 5 pm, Government spokesperson and Education Minister M Okendro stated that the Manipur Land Revenues & Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 will not infringe upon the interests of the hill people. He made it clear that the amendment of Manipur Land Revenues and Land Reforms Act (MLR&LR) Act, 1960 intends to stop easy purchase of land by non-locals/non-permanent residents in the State.

As per the new amendment, any non-Manipur person who wants to buy land in the State requires submitting an application to the Deputy Commissioner who will inquire it and the report has to be submitted to the State Government, Okendro said.

He added that the Government in turn will have a detailed discussion on the application to put it before the Cabinet and if the latter fails to approve it and then the land cannot be purchased under any condition.

The Government spokesperson said the MLR & LR Act, 1960 is implemented in the four valley districts and some parts of Churachandpur district only and hence no body except the hill people can permanently reside in the hill districts.

Given the fact that the process will not affect the hill people, the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) of Manipur Legislative Assembly was not consulted on the amendment of the Act, Okendro further clarified.

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