Jamshedpur, Aug. 8: Hundreds of ryots, whose lands fall under Schedule-IV of the Tata lease, can heave a sigh of relief.

In an attempt to safeguard the interests of all such ryots, whose lands have been included in the lease area, the state revenue and land reforms department has decided to take them out of the purview of the Tata lease.

The state revenue and land reforms minister, Chandra Prakash Choudhary, who was here in the city said: ?The claims of all such ryots are being verified by my department. If found true, their land will not be included in the purview of the Tata lease.? Choudhary was in the city to attend the anniversary of the death of former JMM president Nirmal Mahto.

The ryots had been suffering losses as they are denied home loans. The bank's policy does not allow home loans to be given to those whose land falls under the lease area.

The ryots have been suffering the losses since 1964, when the last land survey was conducted.

Sources in state revenue and land reforms department said between 250 to 300 ryots have land that falls under the Tata lease.

Choudhary revealed he had given necessary directives to his department, ensuring that all matters related to Tata lease are finalised before August 15. ?We are hopeful of a renewal of the Tata lease agreement before August 15,? he added.

The East Singhbhum district administration forwarded the draft for the renewal of the Tata lease agreement to the state government last week.

The draft includes a two-fold increase in the lease rent for the different schedules and at least five new clauses.

With regard to the 21 slums that come under Schedule-IV of the Tata lease, the minister said efforts are being made to accord them ownership rights. This was also the case of 86 slums, which fall under Schedule V (vacant land).

Tata Steel has made it clear that it does not want to take the encroached lands on which the slums have cropped up.

The minister revealed that his department has received several complaints from the ryots. ?We are making necessary efforts to ensure that the provisions of land lease are not violated,? he added.