Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 7 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed concrete action to grant legal land ownership rights to families displaced from Bangladesh and settled in various districts of the state, according to an official release.

The Chief Minister said this was not merely a matter of land transfer but an opportunity to honour the decades-long struggle of thousands of families who took refuge in India and have awaited rightful rehabilitation. He stressed that these families must be treated with both sensitivity and dignity, calling it the moral responsibility of the government.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that between 1960 and 1975, following Partition, thousands of displaced families from East Pakistan were resettled in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bijnor, and Rampur. Initially accommodated in transit camps and provided agricultural land, most of these families have yet to receive legal ownership due to discrepancies in records and administrative delays.

The Chief Minister was apprised that although land was allotted in several villages, various hurdles—such as the land being recorded under the Forest Department, incomplete transfer procedures, and lack of physical possession—have prevented many families from receiving formal land rights. In some areas, families from other states were also resettled and continue to remain without legal titles.

According to current assessments, many displaced families have cultivated the land for years and constructed permanent homes, yet their names are still missing from official land records. In contrast, some of the original allottees no longer reside in these areas. Additionally, in certain cases, individuals have taken possession of land without completing legal formalities, further complicating the situation.

Addressing these challenges, the Chief Minister instructed officials to explore alternative legal provisions within the existing framework, especially in light of the repeal of the Government Grants Act in 2018.

CM Yogi stated that this was not merely a policy decision but a sensitive and historic step toward delivering justice to displaced families who have lived in uncertainty for decades. He said the effort must be seen through the lens of ‘social justice, humanity, and national responsibility’, and as a chance to restore dignity to lives long overlooked.

(ANI)