Bihar government sets up three-member body to probe Bhoodan land irregularities

Prompted by a Patna high court’s order, the Bihar government, on Saturday, announced a three-member commission, headed by a retired senior IAS officer, to probe into allegations of irregularities in verification, distribution and redistribution of plots among the landless under Bhoodan movement. 

The court had asked for a thorough probe into the matter after a string of cases were filed in various courts, including the Patna HC, alleging large scale irregularities in distribution of Bhoodan land by the Bihar Bhoodan Yajna Samiti.

The state government had set up the samiti for management and distribution of about 6.49 lakh acres of land which was donated by individuals on the call of freedom fighter and social reformer Acharya Vinoba Bhawe in 1951. 

As per the reports submitted by the Bhoodan body, it had distributed about 2.56 lakh acres of land among the needy and about 5750 acres of plots were yet to be distributed. Plots measuring 3.86 lakh acre had some issues and hence not fit for distribution. 

The state cabinet, at its meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar, gave its nod for constitution of the probe commission on Saturday. The commission has been given two years’ time to scrutinise the documents of land donation, distribution and redistribution since the Bhoodan Yajna Samiti was constituted under an act notified in 1954. 

Principal secretary of cabinet secretariat department Brajesh Mehrotra said a retired senior IAS officer and two retired officers of the Bihar administration service would be nominated by the state government. He said the commission would also inquire into the status of plots that were received as donation but could not be distributed owing to some technical issues. 

Besides the chairman, who retired from a senior position, two officers of the BAS, who retired from joint secretary or above ranks, would be nominated as members. An officer of BAS or of the Bihar secretariat service, who is serving in the revenue and land reforms department in the rank of under secretary, will as function as the convener, said Mehrotra.