E-Paper
Punjab farmers launch tractor march against AAP govt’s land pooling policy
BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan says state govt representatives should visit villages in affected areas to allay apprehension of farmers.
Farmer unions under the umbrella of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha took out tractor-rallies in villages of Punjab on Wednesday to protest the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s contentious land-pooling policy for urban development.
The state government plans to acquire 65,533 acres of land across 21 cities and towns in the state to develop both industrial and residential zones. It is the largest acquisition of land by the government in the state since it was reorganised in 1966. The government plans to acquire the maximum land of 24,311 acres for residential and 21,550 acres for industries from about 40 Ludhiana villages, including Dana Mandi, Jodhan, Dakha Ground, Mullanpur and Dana Mandi, Koomkalan. However, only 115 land owners – 15 from Ludhiana and nearly 100 from Mohali - have come forward to adopt the scheme since its launch on June 2. The policy is open till September 30.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said instead of reaching out to farmer leaders, the state government representatives should visit villages in the areas from where they are planning to acquire land and explain the scheme to the residents. “People should be informed about this scheme. If it is in their favour, they will flock to the government, but if they are not convinced, the government should reach out to them and explain,” Ugrahan said.
“Just as the AAP government in Punjab is claiming that the land pooling scheme is beneficial, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre had also cited how the three farm Bills were in the farmers’ interest. Ultimately, the three laws were withdrawn,” he said.
The tractor march was launched from Sohian village in Sangrur district, where villagers put up a poster barring the entry of government employees advocating the land-pooling policy.
The AAP government has been facing flak from opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP, which dubbed its land pooling policy a looting scheme to rob farmers of their land. The AAP has hit out at the opposition parties for spreading misleading propaganda.
The Punjab cabinet had last month approved the land-pooling policy and asserted that not a single yard would be forcibly acquired from the landowners. Under the policy, an owner would be given 1,000 square yards of residential plot and 200 square yards of commercial plot in a fully developed area in lieu of an acre of land. The government had said it was designed to foster transparent and planned urban development across the state.
