JAMSHEDPUR: Chief minister Raghubar Das will be accorded a grand reception by scores of slum dwellers of his home town on April 1, in recognition of the state government's decision to allow unauthorised occupants of public land to own it on lease for 30 years in lieu of paying government-approved tariff.Basti Vikas Samiti (BVS), an outfit patronised by the CM since 1996, has organised Nagrik Abhinandan for Das at Agrico ground on April 1. Close to 30,000 people living in the illegal colonies, who are likely to benefit from the 'land lease measure', are expected to attend the event."Apart from the 130 bastis in the limits of the Jamshedpur East assembly constituency (which has been represented by Das since 1995), the event will also be attended by people from several other bastis from Mango, Sonari, Kadma as well as other places surrounding the city," said BVS president Khemlal Chaudhary Although the public reception event of the CM is aimed at projecting Das as a mass leader who has kept his promises, a section of the leaders within his party as well as outside have raised questions on the government's decision to provide land on lease to beneficiaries.Soon after the government's notification pertaining to the 'land lease' move in February was announced, state food and consumer affairs minister Saryu Rai had said that the cut-off year of 1985 fixed by the government to determine the beneficiaries for availing land lease rights is not all-inclusive. "Instead, the date of the formation of Jharkhand in 2000 should be recognised as the cut-off year for identifying the beneficiaries," Rai had said.Rai had also argued that not every family settled illegally on the public land are financially sound to pay the salami (the lump sum payment made for acquisition of leasehold rights of land) and lagaan (tax) fixed by the government for availing the land on lease. State Congress president Ajoy Kumar on Friday said, "Nearly 90% of the illegal bastis have come into existence after 1985. Hence, the government's move will not benefit the majority of the dwellers. I also want the government to make sure illegal bastis that have that come up on Tata Steel lease area also get the benefit of availing land on lease."

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