Author: Nilay Dutta & Anubhab Atreya

Nilay Dutta is a Senior Advocate and Member of the Assam Law Commission.
Anubhab Atreya is a fifth year law student at the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam.

On June 29, 2020; the Minister of Industries and Commerce of Assam released a series of tweets announcing that the Council of Ministers had approved an ordinance by which industries could be set up in Assam by just “one self-declaration” and land would be deemed converted for industrial purpose. The Ordinance presently awaits the approval of the Governor of Assam.
In law, land as a natural resource is considered to be held in public trust by the State. The State holds land for the enjoyment by the citizen at large. This essentially means that there is an embargo on the State transferring public properties such as Government held land to private parties if such transfers affect the public interest.