Divided Land: ‘Monetise land’ or ‘sapping farm livelihoods?’
Is there a socialist conspiracy to keep the Indian farmer perennially subjugated, tied to his land when he is increasingly at the mercy of the elements? Shouldn't the farmer not be given a choice to modernise, market and monetise his land? Or is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s revised version of the Land Bill, sold as a reform measure that could replicate Gujarat’s success in agriculture, nothing but a smokescreen to strip poor farmers of their lands and hand them over to the corporates on a platter?
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Major differences between UPA Land Bill and the NDA ordinance
| UPA BILL | NDA Ordinance |
| 1: Work has to begin within five years after acquisition 2: In case of work not starting, land will be returned to land owner 3: Approval 80 per cent of the land owners in case of projects under PPP Model and 70 per cent for government projects 4: Social impact assessment mandatory 5: Land owner has the option to approach court | 1: Work can begin even after five years 2: No provision for return of land in case of work has not begun 3: Approval of 80 per cent clause not needed in case of five exempted categories 4: Social Impact Assess-ment not needed for exempted categories 5: No provision for land owner to approach court over the deal. |
DECLINE IN CULTIVATED LAND
A study by Vikas Rawal of The Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University, shows an overall decline in cultivated land in the country in a 25-year period from 1987-88 to 2011-12: According to the Study, the total area cultivated as a proportion of net sown area fell to 71.7 per cent in 2011-12 from 86.9 in 1987-88.
MAHARASHTRA TOPS IN FARMER SUICIDES
According to a written reply given by minister of state for agriculture Mohanabahi Kundaria in The Lok sabha On March 1, 109 cases of farmer suicide were reported throughout the country in 2014. Out of this, 986 were from Maharashtra, 84 from TelAngana and 29 from Jharkhand. The minister said 879 farmers committed suicide in 2013 as against 1,046 in 2012.
