MLC Ivan D’Souza has urged the state revenue department to sanction land under the DC Manna category to SC/ST families in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and other districts. In his appeal to the department, D’Souza highlighted that over 15,000 land applications from Dalit families remain pending, and he has called for swift action to address the issue.
Speaking in the legislative session on Wednesday, D’Souza raised concerns that more than 20,000 SC/ST individuals in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are landless. During the zero hour, he pointed out that a significant portion of the DC Manna land has been seized by influential people, which he believes is contributing to the injustice faced by the SC/ST communities.
D’Souza appealed to Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to take immediate action. He referred to the 2017-18 initiative by the previous revenue minister, Kagodu Thimmappa, who had set up taluk-wise committees to distribute DC Manna land to SC/ST communities. While the initiative had guidelines in place, protests continued due to a lack of implementation. D’Souza criticized the slow pace of action, stating that although the government had issued directions to deputy commissioners to identify the DC Manna land, these directions have yet to be put into effect.
The MLC has demanded that the Revenue Minister immediately convene a meeting with the deputy commissioners of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to resolve the issue.
Read also: