Government and the administration to play the role of facilitator only

On the initiative of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms. Mayawati Ji, a farmer Panchayat, attended by their representatives from every corner of the state, was held at the State Capital, Lucknow today, in which a direct communication was established with the farmers to discuss in detail their various problems and solve them. Problems of the farmers relating to the departments like irrigation, power, agriculture and allied departments such as horticulture, animal husbandry etc. were discussed on the occasion. The most noticeable outcome of the farmers Panchayat was that the Uttar Pradesh Government, after having direct dialogue with the farmers formulated a farmer-friendly policy of land acquisition in keeping with their constructive suggestions. The Hon’ble Chief Minister also announced to enforce the new land acquisition from today.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to the problems and the views echoed by farmers’ representatives and directed the officers concerned on the spot to solve them. She reiterated that the present State Government was fully alive to the farmers’ problems and their solution adding that it had always been her Government’s endeavour to safeguard their interests at all costs.

Announcing the new land acquisition policy of the State today, the Hon’ble Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati ji emphatically said that her Government could follow the rules of agreement pertaining to all types of land acquisition. She optimistically said that the State’s land acquisition policy would prove more farmer friendly than the one proposed by the Central Government. She demanded that the Central Government should enforce a uniform land acquisition policy for the country on the pattern of the policy announced by the State Government.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji was addressing the historic Panchayat of the farmers’ representatives called at her initiative at her official residence here today to find solution to the land acquisition and other problems of the farmers of the State. Expressing her gratitude to the farmers’ representatives who came on the invitation of the State Government, she said that for sometime now the land acquisition led to the situation of confrontation between the State Government and the farmers in one State or the other. This situation forced State Governments to confront the resentment of the farmers and sometimes these incidents created a law and order problem. She said that her Government clearly believed that the farmers’ problems could be truly solved only when the decisions were taken in consultation with the farmers after direct dialogue with them.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that keeping this in view, her Government held detailed discussion with the farmers’ representatives on various aspects of land acquisition and sought their suggestions. The matter was thoroughly discussed at the Government level too. She explained that for the first time in country’s history, her Government formulated a unique and new policy in respect of land acquisition in accordance with the suggestions of the farmers’ representatives after direct dialogue with them adding the new policy had also been enforced from today.

Dwelling at length on the new land acquisition policy, the Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that this had been divided into three parts. She maintained that in the new policy special attention had been paid to the power projects being set up by the big private companies and for the development of the State and other works, as this was the main reason behind growing resentment among the farmers throughout the country. She lamented that the preceding opposition parties’ governments failed to take any initiative to solve this problem of the farmers. The opposition leaders only attempted to discredit the State Government for the problem handed down from the opposition parties’ Government due to their failure to address it.

• The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Ms. Mayawati ji said that her government had taken remarkable decision in connection of such cases under which developer has to receive land for the project from identified land directly with the mutual consent of at least 70 per cent farmers of the village through a package. District administration will only play the role of facilitator in this process.
• If 70 per cent farmers disagree, then project would be reconsidered.
• Under this package two alternatives would be available to farmers. Either, they could take 16 per cent developed land, besides Rs. 23,000 annuity per acre for 33 years.
• If farmers wish, they could get cash money as compensation for some land out of 16 per cent land.
• Farmers would get developed land free of cost and no stamp duty would be charged.
• If agricultural land is purchased from anywhere in the state within a year from the payment of cash compensation, then full concession would be given in stamp duty.
• Action would be taken under section-6 for land acquisition for the land of the farmers who are left out after 70 per cent.
Referring to the second part of the new policy, the Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that land acquisition would be decided under contract rules for fulfilment of basic needs of people like highways and canals. She said that the farmers whose land would be acquired for such projects would get all benefits of Government’s Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy.
• If agricultural land is purchased from anywhere in the state within a year from the payment of cash compensation, then full concession would be given in stamp duty.

Giving information regarding the third part of the policy, the Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that some land is being acquired for Development Authorities, Industrial Development Authorities etc. for which master plan is made. Such type of land would also be taken under contract rules of the State Government with mutual consent.
• She said that with a view to protecting the interests of the farmers in this connection, her government had taken the decision to provide two alternatives to farmers in exchange of acquired land.
• According to the first alternative, the compensation amount would be decided under contract rules and in this case the concerning public enterprise would adopt liberal approach. Besides, all the benefits of Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy would be given to the affected farmers.
• While under the second alternative 16 per cent developed land would be given free of cost out of the total acquired area, besides annuity of Rs. 23,000 per acre for 33 years. If farmers wish they could take cash compensation in place of some land out of 16 per cent land.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that concession would be given in stamp duty under the third part of the policy in the same manner like in the cases of land acquisition by private sector.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that each farmer whose land would be acquired or transferred would be given Rs. 23,000 annuity per acre per year for 33 years. An increase of Rs. 800 would be made per acre per year in this annuity, which would be given in the month of July every year. If any farmer did not want to take annuity, then he would be paid one-time amount of Rs. 2,76,000 per acre as rehabilitation subsidy.

She said that if the land is acquired or transferred for the purpose of any company, then farmers would have the alternative of taking the shares of company equivalent to 25 per cent out of one-time amount of rehabilitation subsidy.

She said that one member of the families becoming completely landless owing to the land acquisition/transfer for private sector would be given employment in the private sector company according to his ability.

Such affected family, who would become marginal farmer as a result of land acquisition or transfer, would be given one-time financial assistance equal to minimum agriculture wages of 500 days. Similarly, such affected family who would become small farmer would get one-time financial assistance equal to the minimum agriculture wages of 375 days.

She said that if the family affected from the project would be of agriculture labourer or non-agriculture labourer category, then he would be given one-time financial assistance of minimum agriculture wages of 625 days. Similarly, every displaced family would be paid additional one-time amount equal to minimum agriculture wages of 250 days.
Besides, the state government had made provision that the developer agency would construct one Kisan Bhavan each in every village affected by acquisition, through their own expenses. She said that the developer agency would run at least one model school upto class 8 level along with sports ground within the project area. The developer would be responsible for the construction of the building of the school.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that if less than 70 per cent of the farmers gave their consent then the private sector project would be reconsidered. She said that her government, along with ensuring the implementation of various arrangements benefiting farmers affected by acquisition, had also ensured that their participation in development was equal.

Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that certain elements had created confusion that the lands of the farmers were acquired at lower rates and were later sold at higher rates. She said that 50 per cent of the acquired land was being used for community facilities like roads, parks, green belts etc. Thus, the historic arrangement of returning 16 per cent of the total acquired land to the farmers after developing it free of cost would certainly benefit the farmers.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that the M.P.s of her party would push for the implementation of the policy announced today during the monsoon session of the Parliament so that this policy could be implemented at the national level. She regretted that some opposition parties, instead of pressurising the Central Government to formulate land acquisition law, were indulging in petty politics in Uttar Pradesh. She said that her government would not allow them to do so. She said that everybody knew that the opposition parties did not have any issue that’s why they were trying to provoke the farmers.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that the unfortunate incidents that took place in Bhatta Parsaul recently were the latest example of it. She said that there was no connection between the compensation provided to the farmers of Bhatta Parsaul and the incident that occurred there. She said that the untoward happenings that occurred there were instigated by the opposition parties and it was their nefarious design. She assured the farmer representatives of Bhatta Parsaul that the state government would compensate the farmers who had suffered losses during the incident that took place there. She emphasised that her government would not allow anybody to vitiate the law & order of the state in the name of the farmers and it would take stringent action against those trying to do so. The government would take action within the ambit of law, she warned.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that on behalf of the government and her party she had written several letters to ‘the Central Government requesting’ to formulate a farmer friendly comprehensive national policy on land acquisition, but to no avail. Therefore, her party had now decided that this issue would be raised in the Parliament in the next monsoon session. She said that if the Congress led UPA Government did not formulate any policy on land acquisition during the monsoon session, then the BSP would lay siege (gherao) of the Parliament. She said that the praising of the land acquisition policy of the Haryana Government by the Congress party was motivated by politics. She reiterated that the present land acquisition policy of her government was most lucrative policy of the country which would ensure a lot of benefits for the farmers.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that her party believed that the farmers always wanted development, but they also wanted that they were not rendered jobless and homeless because of it and their future became totally bleak. She said that keeping this in view her government had decided to implement this historic land acquisition policy to protect the interests of the farmers being affected by land acquisition.

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