Nagpur: Maharashtra govt has decided to grant full ownership rights to rehabilitated Bengali settlers in Gadchiroli district by converting their rehabilitation land from Class II occupancy to Class I, a move expected to benefit around 40,000 people and resolve a decades old land ownership issue.The decision was announced by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule following a high-level meeting at the state legislature on Friday, where he directed officials to expedite the process of converting approximately 21,824 acres of rehabilitation land to Class I status.The beneficiaries were allotted land under state’s rehabilitation programme, but the existing Class II tenure imposed restrictions on transfer of property, access to institutional finance and eligibility for several govt schemes.Alongside the land ownership decision, Bawankule directed the administration to immediately submit proposals for the regularisation of nearly 10,000 houses occupied by members of the Bengali community. He also said the corresponding village settlement (gaothan) land would be regularised without levying charges on beneficiaries.The govt also proposed regularisation of about 1,200 acres of agricultural land in the rehabilitation area. According to the proposal discussed at the meeting, beneficiaries have expressed willingness to pay ₹8,000 per acre — equivalent to 25% of the ready reckoner rate — for regularisation of farmland. Bawankule instructed district and revenue officials to submit necessary legal and technical proposals to the govt without delay.“The long-pending issue of land ownership for rehabilitated families must be resolved expeditiously so that eligible beneficiaries can enjoy full ownership rights and access the benefits available to landowners,” Bawankule said during the meeting.Officials said the proposal would be processed on priority for final govt approval to enable early implementation.#Relief in sightGovt will convert rehabilitation land held by Bengali settlers in Gadchiroli from Class II to Class I statusThe decision is expected to benefit about 40,000 members of Bengali communityAround 21,824 acres of land will receive full ownership statusNearly 10,000 houses will be taken up for regularisationVillage settlement (gaothan) land linked to these houses will be regularised without chargesAbout 1,200 acres of agricultural land also proposed for regularisationBeneficiaries have agreed to pay ₹8,000 per acre for farmland regularisationDistrict authorities have been directed to expedite formalities for implementation
