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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP's Sunil Jakhar says AAP removed key clause of land acquisition law, SAD asks about money for policy
Chandigarh: Reacting to the Punjab cabinet approving a new land pooling policy on Monday, opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal criticised the incumbent AAP govt, with the BJP calling it a "bait" to "bleed Punjab" and SAD terming it a "scheme of corruption. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " Hitting out at AAP, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said, "I believe Punjab was used as an ATM from where they took out money. Now the central leaders of AAP from Delhi plan to use Punjab as a private bank." On provisions in the policy as announced by the govt that farmers will get back a part of the land which they can use for developing group housing projects, Jakhar said, "This is a bait. The intent is clear, and they want to bleed Punjab of its money by treating it as a milch cow. Punjab needs to be saved from this." Jakhar said AAP govt "removed" a key clause of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which otherwise could act as a "safety valve" to safeguard farmers' interests. The LARR Act, 2013, requires that the consent of 80% of landowners be obtained for private projects and that the consent of 70% of landowners be obtained for public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The govt proposed to exempt five special categories that were created, namely defence, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, industrial corridors, and infrastructure projects, including PPP projects where the govt owns the land. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said govt will take possession of farmers' land, but there is no guarantee as to when it could be developed. "It took several years for Ludhiana to expand beyond Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And the govt plans to acquire 25,000 acres. There will be no habitation in such a vast area for years. From where will this much population come to live in such a huge area? If acquired, farmers will lose their livelihood. Not only farmers, but those in allied agriculture activities, those dealing in agri implements and fertilisers, for instance, would also get hit. It will also directly or indirectly impact landless labourers and the dalit community," he added. Cheema asked the govt where was the money to develop the land it proposed to acquire. "If Rs 1 crore would be required to develop an acre of land, from where will Rs 25,000 crore come for developing 25,000 acres of land? AAP promises like giving Rs 1,000 per month to women remain unfulfilled. The Centre even cut the borrowing limit of the state to take loans. This scheme was, practically, rolled out for corruption. This is aimed at enabling the middlemen from Delhi to make money. Otherwise, there is no justification for it," he said.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule asks for alternatives as meeting with farmers over Purandar airport ends in stalemate
1 2 3 Pune: The meeting held at the Pune district collector's office on Monday between state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and farmers opposing land acquisition for the proposed Purandar airport failed to yield any result. Farmers stood firm and refused to give up land for the project, despite the minister's assurance of fair compensation plus the willingness to negotiate. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Bawankule also heads the land acquisition department. He said, "The farmers are adamant they will not part with their land. I have requested them to suggest alternatives within seven days, since the project is vital for the region's development. They may put forth their demands, but refusing is not an option." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Mysterious Photos That Cannot Be Explained True Edition Undo He said the govt will announce its own compensation package within two weeks, if the group of farmers fails to submit proposals within the given time. Land acquisition will be carried out under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which allows compensation of up to four to five times the market value along with other benefits. The minister said the recent land survey has been put on hold following protests and assured no survey would be conducted forcibly. "The project will transform the future of west Maharashtra. It will open the doors to development and help farmers export produce globally." Meanwhile, during the meeting, farmers also demanded that cases filed against them during protests be withdrawn. On Saturday, the authorities had tried to carry out a drone survey which led to clashes and at least 18 police personnel and several farmers were injured. Pune rural police have registered three different cases against protesters. Bawankule said, "There are videos showing protesters attack officials. People involved directly in the crime will face action. However, we could decide to withdraw cases against innocent bystanders who may have been wrongly booked. The matter will be discussed with the CM on Tuesday." A farmer who attended the meeting, Santosh Hagawane, said, "Our land is under cultivation. The law clearly states such land cannot be acquired. Our land is like our mother— we depend on it to survive. We will not give it to the govt for any project." He also said the govt had surveyed alternative sites, including areas near Baramati, which are not cultivated and something similar should be considered to build the airport. "Seven villages which are likely to be affected have passed resolutions against acquisition. Over 4,500 to 5,000 farmers will lose their land if the project goes ahead," he added.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Vigilance launches ‘Op Adhigrahan' to probe irregularities in highway land acquisition
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The vigilance department on Saturday launched a statewide inspection, 'Operation Adhigrahan' to investigate allegations of corruption and irregularities in land acquisition and disbursement of rehabilitation funds linked to highway development projects. The raids began at 10m and were carried out at 32 offices across 12 districts, including the deputy collector and special tahsildar offices involved in land acquisition. The operation follows confidential inputs received by vigilance indicating that some officials facilitated misuse of public funds by falsifying records and allowed ineligible claims under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) scheme. Under the R&R scheme, people whose properties are acquired for highway development are entitled to additional financial assistance beyond the compensation amount. A total of Rs 2,86,000 will be granted for those who lose their homes and Rs 75,000 for those who lose commercial establishments. The funds are meant to support temporary accommodation or help rebuild displaced lives.
