Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 21 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed concrete action towards granting legal land ownership rights to the families displaced from East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and settled in various districts of the state in a high-level meeting, a release said.

The Chief Minister stated that this is not just a matter of land transfer, but an opportunity to honour the life struggles of thousands of families who took refuge in India from across the country's borders and have been waiting for rehabilitation for decades.

Describing the issue as more than just a matter of land transfer, the Chief Minister said, 'This is an opportunity to honour the decades-long struggle of thousands of families who took refuge in India and have waited for rightful rehabilitation. These families must be treated with both sensitivity and dignity; it is the moral responsibility of the government.'

Officials reported that between 1960 and 1975, following the Partition, thousands of displaced families from East Pakistan were resettled in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bijnor, and Rampur. Initially settled through transit camps and provided agricultural land, most of these families have still not received legal ownership due to discrepancies in records and administrative delays, the release stated.

The Chief Minister was informed that although land has been allotted in several villages, various legal and administrative hurdles, including land being recorded under the Forest Department, incomplete transfer procedures, and a lack of physical possession, have prevented many families from receiving formal land rights. In some areas, families from other states have also been resettled but continue to remain without legal ownership.

Current assessments reveal that in many villages, displaced families have been cultivating land for years and have even constructed permanent homes. Yet, their names are still missing from official land records. In contrast, some of the original allottees no longer reside in those areas. Additionally, in certain areas, individuals have taken possession of land without completing the necessary legal formalities, leading to further complications, it added.

Addressing these challenges, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to explore alternative legal mechanisms in light of the repeal of the Government Grant Act in 2018. He instructed officials to explore new provisions within the existing legal framework to resolve these long-standing issues.

'This is not just a policy decision; it is a sensitive and historic step toward delivering justice to those displaced families who have lived in uncertainty for decades,' CM Yogi said. 'This effort must be viewed through the lens of social justice, humanity, and national responsibility. It is a chance to restore dignity to lives long overlooked.' (ANI)