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6.15 Conclusion

Decreasing incentives from agriculture, changing aspirations of the people and, industrialization and urbanization are the major drivers for rampant conversion of agriculture land for non-agriculture uses. The conversions can be either voluntary or involuntary and can be operationalised either legally or illegally. At a broader level, the conversion issues can be handled by making agriculture sector viable and more profitable. As discussed earlier, this can be controlled only through suitable interventions like desirable subsidy to farmers, better access to credit and technology to practice agriculture. This is imperative to prevent conversions where people are giving up agriculture due to significantly low returns. Whereas agriculture land is also threatened due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, in such cases proper laws and their implementation is the need of the moment. So there should be strict measures in the Land Acquisition and Special Economic Zones Acts to prevent conversion of huge chunk of agriculture land for non-agricultural uses. More importantly, the interests of the affected people should be taken into consideration before even deciding about projects. And it is urged that adequate compensation, proper rehabilitation and settlement of the affected people should be executed through a participatory, transparent and fair process.

Chapter Seven
Land Management in North-Eastern States
7.1 Introduction

North-East India consists of eight political units of the Union of India namely, the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, known together as the North-Eastern Region (NER). These together have an area of 2,62,185 sq. kms accounting for 7.98 % of India’s total land area and with a population of 388.58 lakhs which accounts for 3.79% of India’s total (2001 Census). About 70% of the region is hilly, rugged and generally inaccessible physiographic terrain, cultural and ethnic diversity of tribes, the relative historical seclusion and the strategic location have combined to forge the region into an important geopolitical unit of the country as well as in the world. The region has remained overwhelmingly rural in seven out of eight States 84 percent of population live in rural areas. The NER is the homeland to a rich mosaic of diverse tribal communities.

7.2 General Administrative Structure

7.2.1 The political boundaries of the British Empire in the region left many tribes divided which continued into the post Independence and led to the creation of more States Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh were carved out of erstwhile Assam of British India, while Manipur and Tripura were princely kingdoms converted into new States. Each State of the Northeast has a different administrative structure under the Constitution of India, North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong and Boro Territorial Council, the whole of Meghalaya and the Hill areas of Tripura are covered under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule, provisions of Article 371A cover Nagaland while Article 371G covers Mizoram.

7.2.2 Recognizing that the administrative structure at the village level has serious implications on the land relations, it is necessary to understand the administrative structure of the north-eastern states.
Table 7.1: Administrative Structure of North-Eastern States

States	Special Constitutional Provisions	Administrative structure
Arunachal Pradesh	Art.371H	No Autonomous Councils, the State has adopted the Panchayati Raj
Assam	VI Schedule Read with Art. 371B (for Schd. Areas only)	Three Autonomous Councils: (i). Karbi-Anglong, (ii). North Cachar Hills, (iii). Bodo Territorial Council.
Manipur	Art.371C	The Manipur (V Hill Village Authority Act 1956, and Manipur Hill areas District Council Act 1971
Meghalaya	Sixth Schedule	Three Autonomous Councils: (i). Khasi Hills, (ii). Jaintia Hills, (iii). Garo Hills
Mizoram	Sixth Schedule Read with Art.371G	Three Autonomous Councils of Pawi, Lakher, Chakma, and other areas without the Autonomous Council
Nagaland	Art.371A	No Autonomous District Councils
Tripura	Sixth Schedule	Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council, Khumulwang

7.2.3 The governance in most States and Districts of the NE manifests co-existence of both the modern and the traditional, the Autonomous Councils act as administrators with regulatory functions, Village Councils act as the planning and development organs. In Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and plain districts of Manipur, Tripura and most of the districts of Assam PRIs fulfil the development function.

7.3 Land System

1. Two broad types of land tenure systems operate in the region i.e. (i) Revenue administration under government operates in the plains and valleys of Assam, Tripura, Manipur and in the hilly State of Sikkim and (ii) Customary land tenure system under Village level authority operates in the hilly States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and in the hilly parts of Assam, Manipur and Tripura with State-wise and region-wise variations ⁵⁴

2.