Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: The state government is going to enact a legislation to protect the interest of sharecroppers, who form a major vote bank.

Governor S.C. Jamir said this while delivering his address to the Assembly here today. "My government is proposing to bring out the Odisha Agricultural Land Leasing Act, which will be extremely helpful in dealing with issues related to farmers and landowners," said Jamir.

Around 80 per cent of the farmers in the state are either tenants or sharecroppers. But, the real tillers do not get any government assistance or crop loan, because they are not landowners. Sources said the government was going to bring a law to protect the interest of the tenants as well as the landowners. Under the proposed law, there will be a provision for an agreement between the landlords and the sharecroppers. The local tehsildar and the revenue inspector will be signatories to the agreement.

"The sharecroppers will have the right of availing themselves of the loan and financial assistance in case of crop loss due to natural calamities, without disturbing the ownership of the land," said a revenue department official. The existing Odisha Land Reforms Act recognises only the landowners and prohibits land leasing in any form.