Advantage Assam: Ensuring Indigenous Rights Over Land And Resources Is Sine Qua Non

The legend of Bhupen Hazarika, while describing the sublime beauty of Assam in his timeless creation—“Asom Amar Rupohi Gunoru Nai Xekh…” extolled the fertile land and the exuberant greeneries of the state he was native to. Assam’s natural and cultural heritage was so deeply ingrained to Bhupen da’s heart that a profusion of timeless songs did dribble through his pen. He could imagine Assam sailing in the path of progress aligning with its immense resource while safeguarding the people and the cultural heritage.

Bhupen Da is no more amongst us and crores of gallons of water have flown through Bhupen Da’s ‘Burha Luit’ (The Mighty Brahmaputra). We now land in the massive investment summit in 2025. Yes, I am talking about ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’, which has seen an unprecedented deluge of investment worth (probably) over 2 lakh crores. Well, this is indeed a gargantuan amount. 

While inflow of investment may be a hopeful situation, the easy argument being that it will generate multitudes of employment opportunities. We can easily visualise a plethora of changes in the offing, including changes in the academic curriculum. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, probably has hinted this while he said that we need to bolster our system so that the local people can compete and make their space in the jobs that it will create. The writing on the wall is clear.

Jobs and absorption of locals is one aspect, there are several other concerns that has opened up. While investment is welcomable, these concerns are not to be ignored at any cost.

Indigenous Rights Over Land And Resources

The pertinent is the question of indigenous rights over land and resources. The meteoric investment will need land and Assam’s resources in abundance. Land has been one of the central points of contention since the colonial period and it remains to be. 

As of today we get the information of several  conflicts between locals and the corporate who are trying to acquire land for initiating their ‘development projects’.

It started with land acquisition by Azure Power at MIkir Bamuni in Nagaon district in 2021. Villagers, losing their fertile land gone to the company, are still struggling with their judicial fight in hope of justice. The land has been ploughed by generations. 

The spree is continuing and we get information of villagers near the Borduar tea estate near Chandubi protesting in fear of losing their land to Adani. The administration however clarified that no land will be handed over to Adani.

In Karbi Anglong, the tribals fear eviction from their homes and hearths due to a ADB (Asian Development Bank) funded project for solar power generation. As per the locals, over 20 villages may see eviction. “We don’t need so much power here. Then why should we face eviction for power supply to states outside Assam?”—the locals have posed the question to the authorities.

Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Kamrup are some districts where instances of people expressing their apprehension about losing their land in the hands of big corporate. 

In Golaghat district, the villagers of Folongoni village are apprehensive about handking over of 75 bighas of land to Patanjali.  No clarification from the authorities has been seen yet.

These are just glimpses of the fear of losing land as felt by local people spanning across the state. Large investments will arguably increase conflicts of these sorts.

Concerns Amid Possibilities

Land acquisition may not face local resistance everywhere, people may sale off at elevated prices. This is not something imaginary, we have examples across the country, be it Gujarat, NCR or Maharashtra where people sold off their land at a much elevated rate and bought properties in cities. 

With passing of a few years those people found it hard to survive. At one hand, they were void of jobs/regular earning at their hand and on the other hand, they had already sold their resources, which otherwise could have secured a sustenance. 

It is yet to be seen which way Assam will head towards. To avert any sort of an ‘Epidemic of Depression’, securing the rights of indigenous people in Assam is a prerequisite. 

The local agricultural producers, in such a scenario, will be at the receiving end. Their dignified life, even if not luxurious, ensured by producing and earning by themselves, will be obliterated by relegating into labourers in their own land. 

Assam Accord & Clause 6:

Assam fortunately has a provision in the form of ‘Assam Accord’ that emanated from the Assam Movement with the loss of over 900 lives. 

The Clause 6 of the Accord mandates reservation of jobs in both government and private sectors for the locals. Moreover, it also enshrines indigenous rights over land and resources. 

Implementation of Assam Accord was a central point of campaign of the ruling BJP and the Himanta Biswa Sarma led government has recently declared to have prepared a roadmap for its implementation in accordance with the Justice Biplab Sharma Committee recommendation. However, what plan does the government have in regards of safeguarding land belonging to indigenous people is yet to get clearer. 

The pertinent question at this moment is what roadmap the present government carves out before starting of the projects funded by corporate giants. In absence of it, a bleak future for the locals couldn’t be regarded as improbable.