Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 22 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Revenue, Horticulture, and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi has urged Governor Kavinder Gupta to take an early decision on granting land allotment rights under the traditional nautor system.
Highlighting that approximately 20,000 cases remain pending in tribal border areas like Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, and Pangi-Bharmour, Negi, addressing the media and later speaking to ANI in Shimla, emphasised that resolving the issue is critical to preventing local migration from strategically sensitive border regions.
“The issue of nautor in the tribal areas has been pending for a long time. Nearly 20,000 cases are pending. Thousands of people are eligible, but they cannot get the land because of the restrictions imposed by the Forest Conservation Act, 1980,” Negi said.
The nautor system relates to the customary allotment of vacant government and forest land to eligible native residents in tribal regions to support local livelihoods. Non-partisan rule allows any tribal resident holding less than 20 bighas of land to apply for up to 20 bighas, subject to availability in their village.
“The rule is very simple. Anyone in the tribal area who has less than 20 bighas of land, whether he belongs to the Congress, BJP or no political party at all, can apply for land up to 20 bighas, subject to availability in the village,” he said.
Implementation remains stalled due to strict provisions under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The state government is urging the Governor to invoke special powers under Paragraph 5 of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution to temporarily suspend the application of the Forest Conservation Act in Scheduled Areas, following past precedents set between 2014 and 2017.
“I have met the Governor around ten times on this issue. Tribal MLAs, including the BJP MLA, have also met him, and members of the Tribal Advisory Council have raised the matter,” Negi said.
“There is a lot of anger among the people. Before the situation reaches the stage where people are compelled to launch an agitation, the Governor should take cognisance of this legitimate demand,” he said.
Negi linked the resolution of land rights directly to regional economic development and national security. “Border areas will not become vibrant merely by ministers visiting them. People need land, water, roads and livelihood opportunities,” he said.
Providing land for horticulture and housing encourages residents to remain in border zones, naturally supporting the security of strategically sensitive areas and preventing depopulation.
Granting land rights allows local farmers to plant apple orchards and build infrastructure using their own resources, generating long-term revenue without requiring major state expenditure for self-sustaining growth.
“There is no need for the government to spend money on this. People will use their own resources. If people have land, they will build settlements, establish orchards and create livelihoods,” he said.
“The Governor has assured me that he will call a meeting of the concerned officers and take a decision on the matter,” Negi said.
Negi noted that symbolic initiatives like the “Vibrant Villages Programme” cannot succeed without addressing fundamental local needs–namely land, water, roads, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
“If you want to stop migration from the border areas, the best solution is to give people the vacant land that is already available. You cannot stop migration simply by giving a scheme the name ‘Vibrant Villages’,” he said.
Negi expressed strong concern over the central government’s decision to lower import duties on American apples, arguing it creates an economic disadvantage for local growers in Himachal Pradesh.
“We will continue to demand that the interests of Himachal’s apple growers be protected. The government had made big announcements about protecting the apple industry, but the reduction in import duties creates a contradiction,” Negi said
“If this land had been allotted three years ago, fruit orchards would have started producing by now. People could have invested their own earnings, generated livelihoods and improved their economic condition,” he said.
Addressing a recent dispute in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly over the singing of Vande Mataram, Negi defended the House’s established traditions and cautioned against using the national song for political division.
“Millions of people sang Vande Mataram under the Congress flag and faced lathis and bullets during the freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru and many other freedom fighters were associated with the movement in which this song inspired people,” he said.
“Today, those who are making big statements about Vande Mataram are using it to create a form of fake nationalism. Whether you sing two stanzas or the complete version is not the real issue; the spirit and historical significance of the song must be understood,” he added.
Governor Kavinder Gupta has assured state representatives that a meeting with senior officials will be convened soon to evaluate the pending nautor land allotment cases. (ANI)