Odisha Cabinet Grants Land Ownership to Displaced Families from East Pakistan and Burma

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move aimed at empowering and securing the rights of displaced families, the Odisha Cabinet, in its recent session, approved the allotment of free-of-cost DP tenements to 515 eligible families who were displaced from East Pakistan and Burma and later settled in Sunabeda municipality in Odisha’s Koraput district since 1964. Each family is entitled to receive up to four tenements.

This decision grants permanent title and ownership to these families over the land and the existing structures on it. The move is expected to provide a sense of security and stability to the displaced families who have been an integral part of the Sunabeda municipality for several decades.

To further support these families, the state cabinet also decided to waive a total amount of Rs. 5,11,94,700. Out of this, Rs. 8,65,200 will go towards clearing the loan amounts for 206 families, while the remaining Rs. 5,03,29,500 will cover the market value of 1,64,000 square feet of land.

This proactive step by the Odisha Cabinet not only recognizes the historical resettlement of these families but also aims to enhance their quality of life by providing them with formal ownership of the land they have called home for many years. The decision reflects the government’s commitment to social justice and welfare, ensuring that marginalized communities have equitable access to resources and opportunities.