Akali Dal protests against Punjab govt's land pooling policy

The Hindu

2 days ago

As part of its series of State-wide protests, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members held a demonstration on Monday against the Punjab government's land pooling policy in Bathinda town.
Terming the land pooling policy as anti-farming community, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the policy was an attempt by the ruling government in the State to grab farmers' land.
Addressing a gathering, he said, 'We will not allow one inch of land to be acquired under the AAP government's land grabbing scheme. We will continue our agitation till the land pooling scheme is withdrawn.'
The Punjab government, in June this year, introduced a land pooling policy in the state to promote planned and sustainable development. The policy aims to involve landowners, promoters, and companies as stakeholders in the development process and to increase interest in land pooling among landowners.
Mr. Badal alleged that the State government was being run through the AAP's Delhi-based leadership, and hence, Punjab's and its people's interests were being sidelined. 'Farmers would be the worst sufferers of the policy. Only 11,000 acres of land have been acquired in Punjab over the last 25 years, out of which 3,000 acres are yet to be developed. Similarly, only 28,000 acres of land were acquired to establish Chandigarh seventy-five years ago, out of which 8,000 acres are still vacant. How can the AAP government think it will be able to develop 44,000 acres with 24,000 acres in Ludhiana alone?' he said.
'Farmers would face long years of waiting for the development of their land, which would not only destroy them but also the agri-economy of the areas where acquisition would be done,' he added.