The Orissa Debt Relief Act, 1980
The Odisha Debt Relief Act, 1980
The Orissa Debt Relief Act, 1980 provides financial relief to marginalized rural residents in Orissa, including small farmers, landless artisans, and low-income agricultural laborers. It legally cancels all outstanding debts owed by these individuals to private money lenders prior to the law coming into force, releasing pledged property and rendering bonded labor agreements null and void. It also halts ongoing court recovery proceedings against qualifying debtors. However, government loans, bank debts, cooperative dues, and taxes remain unaffected. By freeing impoverished rural workers from predatory debt traps and unlawful labor obligations, this legislation provides critical socioeconomic protection to vulnerable communities.
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Discharge of debts of scheduled debtors and consequences of such discharge
- 4. Agreement for working as labourer in lieu of debt to be void
- 5. Certain debts, liabilities not to be affected
- 6. Penalities
- 7. Power of State Government to make rules
- 8. Power to remove difficulties
- 9. Repeal
PDF: pending for this language.