There are big discussions on blocking the land ordinance bill..ppl who were for it are going against it etc..here is what BJP is saying about it now
more here
So is BJP correct in what they are doing?
Lets take a scanario, Praja had met a railway official about the Tumkur-Davanagere new railway line that was planned. The official said they do not have the necessary land to lay the line as the 'farmers' around Tumkur are demanding exhorbitant money for their land. So the effect of this is we do not have the all important line completed.
So about the 'famers' mentioned, they are mostly land grabbers and opportunists who want to cash in on the announced project. They have fradulantly increased the land price around that area and waiting for the compensation.
How do we deal with this and also protect the genuine interest of farmers?
ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು
Defying global logic
It is outright lie about SWR's defense of delay in project!
Sri,
We know how truthful and sincere SWR is about the projects in Karnataka. The new land law was only passed in 2013/14 and hardly there was any project that got effected by it. SWR is lying outright about delay due to the new land law. The said project is being delayed much before the new land law was passed.
As far as Industry goes, lets not venerate them more than they deserve. Their sincerity towards nation can be gauge from the fact that the big business chambers had lobbied with present and past governments to delay the strict enforcement on tobacco. They had written letters to govt to not to go ahead with 80% marking on the cigarette packs.
If the industry is committed, they will pay the fair value to the land owners and put up their industry/business. Many do it and many would like govt to get them cheap. If game is played fair and just, they don't need the covering of land acquisition law. If everything should be per market rate, why not the land at market value without forcible acquisition?
the governments' stake
its not just the compensation..
good read in rediff:
Farmers are inextricably tied to the land. It defines their existence.
Deprived of it, they have little else to fall back on for their livelihood. When they part with land, they lose their identity and standing in the society.
more here
Even transfer of funds is botched up..hopefully schemes like jan dhan, where money is directly deposited to accounts of farmers will help!
It's a farce
What BJP is saying is a complete farce. They are showing dream world. If educated are believing this, there is some serious problem in the thinking. The govt knows that most farmers are gullible. Here is my question. Why the fertile lands? Why not those dry / arid lands that is there vacant? If you start taking away the fertile lands, are we going to import food? It will be another big scam to make money by imports. SWR is just tiny / small example. It’s not the farmers, it’s the dalals and netas who will be deciding.
Land and Landless Economic Regeneration Bill
sad plight of small & marginal farmers
Food for thought
inevitable, in a way
Halligudi farmers in Gadag district, who had opposed establishment of South Korean steel plant Posco in 2011, have done a U-turn. They now want to give up their lands for any big industry.
Out of 500 farmers in the village, over 400 have approached the government and business agencies like industry and commerce department, mines department, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Bengaluru, expressing their willingness to give land for any major industry that can create job opportunities for youths.
Maheshgouda Goudar, who is leading the farmers' fraternity, said farmers have changed their mind after seeing crop losses and suicides of farmers in the state.
For the full text of the report in the ToI, click here.
This part of Karnataka, if I understand correctly, is largely drought-prone, and consequently, not the best of farming land. On the other hand, it is rich in mineral wealth, particularly iron ore. Apparently, the farmers there are now beginning to believe that they and their children will be better off with the economic activities that will result from the setting up of the steel mill.
Perhaps, inevitable, in a way. And, now that one set of farmers has taken the lead, perhaps you can expect more to follow.
The obvious and logical way out
Given the political impasse over land acquisition, a way out would be to allow state governments to formulate their own legislations on the subject. Reportedly, this was suggested at the Niti Aayog meet as a middle path. Such leeway would allow those states that craft the best land acquisition laws to surge ahead, putting pressure on others to follow suit. Having states compete against each other for attracting industry – while also taking care of the interests of farmers – is a good approach towards fostering development, achieving synergy between agriculture and industry, and upholding the spirit of cooperative federalism.
For the full text of the editorial piece in the ToI, click here.
This had been suggested by somebody earlier too, and I had thought it was the most obvious and logical way out. And, now with many of the other measures for invigorating the business environment put in place, for all you know, you'll see the states, currently opposing the bill, making u-turns and competing with each other to facilitate land acquisition.
The parliament can now move on to the GST bill, passing of which should not be too difficult.