In a significant development aimed at resolving a long-standing land dispute, around 338 farmers, who had reportedly occupied government agricultural land, have agreed to pay a nominal tax to the government in West Piriakhola under the Rajnagar Assembly Constituency of South Tripura district.
The decision was taken following a meeting held today, chaired by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Cooperation Minister Shukla Charan Noatia.
Addressing the media, Minister Nath stated that certain portions of land in West Piriakhola, originally owned by the Horticulture Corporation, had remained unused for a long time.
“Taking advantage of this, around 338 poor farmers began cultivating rubber in the area, resulting in notable economic benefits for them. However, since the land was government-owned and the cultivators lacked valid documents, legal complications soon arose. Occupying government land is not the right way. There are rules and regulations in place—be it for agriculture, industry, or other uses,” Nath emphasized.
He added that a series of meetings had been conducted, including the one held earlier today, to arrive at an amicable solution.
In a consensus reached during the latest meeting—attended by rubber garden owners and government officials—it was decided that the farmers would be allowed to continue cultivation after entering into a formal agreement with the government. As part of the arrangement, the farmers have agreed to pay a nominal tax.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is expected to be signed soon, which will legally recognize the cultivation activities while ensuring government oversight and equitable benefit-sharing.
