By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 8, 2017: Odisha on Tuesday became the first state to grant land right to urban poor.

In what Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik called a ‘historic’ move, the state government on Tuesday decided to grant land rights to slum dwellers residing in municipalities and Notified Area Councils (NACs) of the state.

The cabinet chaired by Patnaik approved the enactment of two ordinances to amend the existing law, to grant land rights to the urban poor.

“We have taken a historic decision today to grant land rights to the slum dwellers living in municipal councils and NACs of the state and property rights to those living in municipal corporation areas,” Patnaik said after the meeting.

“The urban poor in slums will get land rights for residential use that are heritable, mortgageable and non-transferable,” Patnaik told media persons.

While land rights will be granted to slum dwellers of municipal councils and NACs, property rights will be given to slum dwellers of municipal corporation areas.

The cabinet has cleared a proposal to provide 600 sq ft land to landless slum residents in NACs and 350 sq ft land to those in municipality areas.

“The cabinet today approved promulgation of two ordinances for assigning land rights or property rights to the identified slum dwellers for development, rehabilitation and upgradation of slums,” the CM said.

The state government’s decision is likely to benefit about 2-3 lakh residing in 3,000 slums across the state. Flats will be given to slum dwellers in the five corporation areas of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela and in the 107 municipal councils and in NAC areas, the beneficiaries will be given land.

Under the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Ordinance-2017, land rights shall be settled with landless slum dwellers in municipalities and NACs by the government.

While land up to 30 square metres shall be settled free of cost, land above 30 square metres, subject to a maximum limit of 60 square metres in NACs and 40 square metres in municipal council areas, shall be settled at a percentage of the benchmark value of the land, said Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi.

Land shall not be used for any purpose other than residential purposes, he added saying, “Land right shall be heritable but not transferable. It may be mortgaged for the purpose of raising finance in form of housing loan from any financial institution.”

Under the Odisha Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance-2017, all slum dwellers belonging to economically weaker sections shall be entitled to a dwelling space of 300 square metres at an affordable cost as determined by the government.

“Property rights in relation to dwelling units shall be heritable and transferable after 10 years only to the eligible beneficiaries. Property rights in relation to housing sites shall be heritable but not transferable,” said Padhi.

A slum redevelopment and rehabilitation committee will be constituted at the urban local body level headed by the Commissioner at the corporation and Collector at the district-level to grant the certificate of property rights.

This was decided at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here Tuesday.

While land rights will be granted to slum dwellers of municipal councils and NACs, property rights will be given to slum dwellers of municipal corporation areas.

“We have taken a historic decision today to grant land rights to the slum dwellers living in municipal councils and NACs of the state and property rights to those living in municipal corporation areas,” Patnaik said after the meeting.

The cabinet has cleared a proposal to provide 600 sq ft land to landless slum residents in NACs and 350 sq ft land to those in municipality areas.

“The cabinet today approved promulgation of two ordinances for assigning land rights or property rights to the identified slum dwellers for redevelopment, rehabilitation and upgradation of slums,” the CM said.

“The urban poor in slum will get land rights for residential use that are heritable, mortgageable and non-transferrable. In corporate areas, limited transferrable rights will be given,” he added.

Under the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Ordinance-2017, land rights shall be settled with landless slum dwellers in municipalities and NACs by the government.

While land up to 30 square metres shall be settled free of cost, land above 30 square metres, subject to a maximum limit of 60 square metres in NACs and 40 square metres in municipal council areas, shall be settled at a percentage of the benchmark value of the land, said Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi.

Land shall not be used for any purpose other than residential purposes, he added.

“Land right shall be heritable but not transferable. It may be mortgaged for the purpose of raising finance in form of housing loan from any financial institution,” said Padhi.

Under the Odisha Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance-2017, all slum dwellers belonging to economically weaker sections shall be entitled to a dwelling space of 300 square metres at an affordable cost as determined by the government.

“Property rights in relation to dwelling units shall be heritable and transferable after 10 years only to the eligible beneficiaries. Property rights in relation to housing sites shall be heritable but not transferable,” said Padhi.

A slum redevelopment and rehabilitation committee will be constituted at the urban local body level headed by the Commissioner at the corporation and Collector at the district-level to grant the certificate of property rights.