Bhubaneswar, April 21: In a significant move to ensure justice and rightful entitlements for sharecroppers, the state government is preparing to introduce a Sharecropper Law, officially titled the Agricultural Land Lease Act. The proposed legislation aims to formally recognize sharecroppers and extend to them the benefits of various government schemes, including crop insurance, compensation for crop loss, and access to institutional credit.
To fast-track the initiative, the government has restructured a high-level committee at the secretary level. A seven-member committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department. The panel includes top bureaucrats such as the Principal Secretaries of the Agriculture, Law, and SC/ST and Minority Development Departments, as well as the Secretary of the Cooperation Department. The Additional Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department will serve as the Member Convenor. Furthermore, the Chairperson has been authorized to nominate independent members as required.
The committee will review existing gaps, identify sharecroppers across the state, and provide crucial recommendations for drafting the new law.
It is worth recalling that a similar attempt was made in 2016 when the then Revenue Minister had prepared a draft bill to legalize sharecropping arrangements. Despite discussions of presenting it in the Legislative Assembly, the proposal faced stiff resistance from landowners, many of whom feared losing ownership rights.
Currently, over 20 lakh sharecroppers operate in the state, cultivating nearly 40% of agricultural land without formal agreements or documentation. These tenant farmers often face challenges in availing government support due to the absence of land records or tenancy certificates. The proposed legislation seeks to address these long-standing issues by legally recognizing their role in the agricultural economy.
