Farmers, green activists slam AAP over land pooling policy: ‘Is Punjab govt now property dealer'

Indian Express

24-05-2025

The Punjab government's new land pooling policy, announced by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday, has triggered panic and outrage among the farmers of 44 Ludhiana villages, whose 24,311 acres of agricultural land would be acquired for developing new urban estates. Refusing to accept the AAP-led state government's land acquisition proposal, irked farmers termed the move as a 'land grab in disguise'.
'Is it a government or a property dealer?' Jagroop Singh, a farmer from Hassanpur village, questioned. 'They (AAP government) claimed we will be provided 1,000 square yards of developed residential land and 200 square yards of commercial land for every acre of land they would acquire. But when? What will a farmer do until then? How will we find buyers for such plots?'
On Thursday, the state government announced the implementation of the land pooling policy, with '100% voluntary participation' as its core principle, while claiming farmers stand to gain up to a 400% return on their land investment. 'This policy is designed to foster transparent and planned urban development across the state,' Cheema had said.
Fearing that the 'voluntary' nature of this policy is a 'smokescreen', Jagroop asserted: 'They must clarify if the change of land use (CLU) permission in these areas would continue. Unofficial restrictions are being imposed at present. Eventually, we would be left with no choice, but to surrender our land.'
Slamming Cheema for the '400% return' claims, Jagroop said: 'Does he even know the current rates in villages like Issewal, Jodhan, and Pamal among many others? They are already worth Rs 4-5 crore per acre, and still farmers are not selling their land. His argument is baseless.'
Farmer Gurpreet Singh Pamal from Pamal village, voicing the same concerns, called the move a 'betrayal'. 'This is not Mohali. Ludhiana's land is fertile and prosperous. Why not develop areas like Mansa or Bathinda where the land is barren, and needs investment? Why target Ludhiana? Because of high land prices?… We no longer trust this government. Their intentions are malafide.'
Terming the government 'property dealers' and slamming it over its 'priorities', another farmer, Balwinder Singh from Gauhar village, said: 'Ludhiana is already well-developed. Why not uplift the underdeveloped regions of Punjab? This policy is not for the Aam Aadmi, but the Khas Aadmi. Stop acting like property dealers.'
On what would be the 'fate of livestock and rural livelihoods' eventually, farmer Ranvir Singh from Rurka questioned whether the move was 'urbanisation at the cost of fertile land'. 'Where will our cattle go? Which are the think tanks behind this disastrous move?'
Amplifying similar fears, even political and environmental analysts questioned the government move and its future.
Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, who is also in the real estate business, questioned the feasibility of developing such a vast area. 'This move seems more like a money-making scheme, than a welfare plan. If it is voluntary, clarify on the change of land use permission.'
Environmentalist Samita Kaur said: 'This is not development. It is bribery masked as progress. Are we encouraging urbanisation instead of crop diversification? Turning the green fields of Punjab into concrete jungles is nothing short of doomsday.'