Tripura: New campaign launched for tribal lease land in forest areas

Tripura: The government is going to launch a new drive to demarcate patta lands—temporary land titles—allocated to tribal families living in forest areas. The move involves coordination between three state departments, aimed at resolving conflicts over land use and facilitating smooth operations for the forest department. Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma addressed the issue, highlighting the difficulties faced by the department due to the absence of proper demarcation and mapping of patta lands. “Our officials often face resistance at the local level while conducting plantation activities. Residents claim that the land marked for plantation under the jurisdiction of the forest department has already been allotted to them under the patta land scheme,” the minister said.

Debbarma informed that to address these concerns, the government has decided to launch a formal identification process for patta lands. “This requires the involvement of several departments,” he said. The minister further said that the forest department is planning a massive bamboo planting drive in forest areas to combat climate change. “In the recent state assembly session, I was asked about our efforts to tackle climate change. Bamboo plantation is an important initiative. However, land disputes are posing hurdles to these efforts,” Debbarma said. He said he has sought assistance from the tribal welfare and revenue departments to resolve these complications quickly. A secretary-level meeting was held at the state secretariat to expedite the process.