Mumbai, July 16 (IANS) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Wednesday in the Assembly that no poor person in Vidarbha will be rendered homeless due to the ‘Zudpi Jungle’ land issue.

The state government will ensure complete protection of poor people and will not leave anyone in the lurch, he added.

He said that a standard operating procedure will be issued within the next week to address public confusion.

“If needed, the government will file a review petition to safeguard the interests of the people of Vidarbha,” Minister Bawankule added.

Responding to a query raised by Congress MLA Nana Patole as well as supplementary questions asked by MLAs Rajkumar Badole and Sanjay Meshram, the Minister provided detailed answers.

Minister Bawankule clarified in the House that the issue involves 92,115 hectares of land, of which 86,409 hectares are deemed unsuitable for afforestation.

“Encroachment exists on 27,507 hectares, while 26,672 hectares are designated for non-forest use. Additionally, 3,229 hectares fall under protected areas, which cannot be transferred but can be utilised,” the Minister said.

“As per Supreme Court directives, a list of encroachments prior to 1996 will be prepared and submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Information regarding post-1996 encroachments will also be compiled and submitted within a month. A meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary will be held and a government resolution will be issued,” he added.

MLA Rajkumar Badole raised concerns about lands recorded under gram panchayats, municipalities, and local self-government bodies, as well as government buildings, cremation grounds, and playgrounds.

In response, Minister Bawankule said that the state government is preparing a database of all records held by local self-government bodies, including government constructions post-1996.

“Areas less than three acres will be declared as protected forests, ensuring that no homes or government structures are affected. For future government constructions, permission from the Forest Department will be required,” he added.

Congress MLA Sanjay Meshram inquired about the formation of a special task force.

Minister Bawankule clarified that the Supreme Court has directed the submission of information in the format prescribed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests within three months.

A task force comprising Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, Assistant Conservators of Forests, and Superintendents of Land Records will work to remove encroachments, he said.

While illegal encroachments will be cleared, the state government’s policy is to protect Scheduled Tribes and backward classes, he added.

According to information that surfaced in June 2025, 86,409 hectares of ‘Zudpi Jungle’ land in the districts of Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Wardha, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli were to be transferred from the Revenue Department to the Forest Department.

“In reality, many of these lands do not have dense forests. For years, citizens have been residing, farming, or constructing government buildings on these lands. This had put the future of lakhs of families at risk and stalled local development projects. Addressing this, Revenue Minister Bawankule firmly said that the land issue in Vidarbha will be resolved soon, providing significant relief to local citizens and development projects, said the statement issued by the Revenue Minister’s office.

–IANS

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