Tura, July 30: In a major land regularisation initiative, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday handed over land ownership documents to residents of Chinap A’slang in Tura, ending decades of uncertainty for families who had been living without legal title to their land.
The beneficiaries, many of whom had struggled to access government welfare schemes, bank loans, electricity and water connections due to the absence of land documents, described the move as a restoration of their dignity and social security.
Addressing the programme at Chinap A’slang Community Hall, Sangma said the settlement would end the insecurity faced by families who had lived for years without legal ownership.
“For the families receiving the land documents this afternoon, that fear and insecurity end today,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Tura land settlement programme covers 754 households across eight localities. He noted that while only 42 households had deposited the required premium before the initiative was launched in December last year, the number has now risen to 210, with 127 land documents ready for distribution. At Chinap A’slang, 25 of the 93 eligible households received their documents after completing the required formalities.
Sangma credited the Chinap A’slang Development Committee for working closely with the government and district administration and assured residents that no land settlement would be imposed without the consent of the community.
Using the occasion to outline Tura’s transformation, the Chief Minister said the town is witnessing its largest-ever infrastructure push, with a ₹1,928-crore redevelopment plan, including projects worth over ₹1,331 crore already under execution.
Among the key projects he highlighted were the ₹60.76-crore Najing Bazar redevelopment, which will provide nearly 200 modern shops, the ₹51.21-crore multi-level parking complex at Dakopgre with commercial and entertainment facilities, installation of 552 LED smart streetlights and nearly 500 CCTV cameras, the ₹165-crore Integrated Administrative Complex, the P.A. Sangma Sports Complex, Pa Togan Sangma Track and Field Stadium, and the Tura Technology Park.
Sangma also announced that the September 2027 Assembly session will be held at the new Convention Hall in Tura and that the town will host the closing ceremony of the National Games 2027, describing both decisions as part of the government’s efforts to decentralise governance and promote balanced regional development.
Calling the land titles more than just legal documents, the Chief Minister said they represent security, dignity and access to financial and legal rights for hundreds of families who have lived in uncertainty for years.
