Patna: The Bihar government has announced a statewide campaign under the Basera-2 scheme aimed at providing residential land to landless families. The initiative seeks to identify eligible households and facilitate land allotment to improve access to housing benefits.
Basera-2 Identification Drive
Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal stated that the government will conduct surveys across districts to identify families without residential land. He said the objective is to ensure that eligible beneficiaries are brought under the scheme and supported through land allocation.
Officials have been directed to prepare beneficiary lists in coordination with district administrations. The campaign is expected to prioritise rural households.
Three Decimal Land Allocation Plan
Under the scheme, the government plans to provide at least three decimal units of land to each eligible landless family. According to the minister, the measure is intended to enable beneficiaries to access housing support under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
The government has stated that land ownership is a prerequisite for full utilisation of housing assistance, making land allocation a key focus of the programme.
Action Against Encroachment and Land Irregularities
The minister also raised concerns over encroachment on government land and alleged irregularities in land records. He said cases have emerged where government land was reportedly misrepresented and sold as private property.
Authorities are currently identifying such cases and conducting investigations into suspected violations. The government has indicated that strict action will be taken against those found involved.
Administrative Action and Transparency Measures
The Revenue Department has initiated inquiries into suspected land scams involving possible collusion between officials and intermediaries. The minister stated that disciplinary action has already been taken against several officials and will continue where required.
The department is also working on clearing pending land-related cases to improve service delivery and reduce delays in administrative processes.
Beneficiary Eligibility Criteria
The scheme will primarily target economically weaker and landless families, with priority given to rural households. Beneficiaries from Dalit, Mahadalit, Minority, Backward, and Extremely Backward communities are expected to receive priority consideration.
Only families listed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) will be eligible. The government has also indicated that preference will be given to households headed by women. Where land is unavailable, financial assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh may be provided in specific cases.
