Pawar gives details of new land acquisition policy

Following the recent controversy over setting up of Special Economic Zones, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said a new policy has been evolved on land acquisition.

New Delhi, Jan 12 : Following the recent controversy over setting up of Special Economic Zones, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said a new policy has been evolved on land acquisition.

He said that as per the policy, 70 percent of the agricultural land can be acquired by entrepreneurs directly from the farmers.

The Centre has accepted this new policy, Pawar added.

After a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Pawar said 70 per cent land has to be acquired by the entrepreneurs with the farmer's consent and, if required, it can seek the government's help for acquisition of the remaining 30 per cent.

Land should be acquired at the market price and farmers properly rehabilitated, he said.

He described the acquisition of land for industrialisation as a common problem for all States in the country.

Pawar said that he placed before the Cabinet the example of development in New Mumbai city to make it a model for development in all states.

He said 36,000 acres were acquired in New Mumbai city and 12.5 per cent of it was later returned to farmers after developing it for their rehabilitation.

"Not a single complaint was received from any farmer," he said.

Observing that there were small land holdings in all the States, including in West Bengal and Maharashtra, Pawar said that the land required for building the city's infrastructure like expansion of roads and highways or for setting up of industry, should be acquired keeping farmers' interest in mind.

ANI