Is Punjab's Land Pooling Scheme Truly Farmer-Friendly?

Chandigarh, July 18 (NationPress) Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Cheema stated on Friday that the state’s land pooling scheme is designed to be supportive of farmers and operates on the principle of mutual consent.

“Not a single inch of land will be forcibly taken from any farmer. The decision to offer land rests solely with the farmers,” Cheema informed the press here.

This clarification from the Finance Minister follows concerns raised by farmers regarding the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) land pooling initiative.

He criticized the Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal, asserting that during their administrations over the past fifteen years, numerous illegal colonies emerged in Punjab, lacking essential amenities such as roads, electricity, water, and sewage systems.

Countless individuals encountered obstacles with property registration, and many lost significant amounts of money to fraudulent builders, causing severe distress for numerous families.

Cheema revealed that in the last decade, in collusion with senior leaders from Akali-BJP and Congress governments, land mafias unlawfully constructed colonies on around 30,000 acres of land across various cities within the state, engaging in scams and frauds valued in billions.

The primary beneficiaries of these scams included land mafias, builders, and corrupt ministers and MLAs from previous administrations, while ordinary citizens were left without even basic services.

Cheema holds the Akali-BJP alliance and Congress governments accountable for these issues.

Considering the struggles faced by the public, the AAP government opted to implement a land pooling policy for land acquisition.

“This initiative will benefit both farmers and the public. Farmers will receive 1,000 square yards of residential land and 200 square yards of commercial plots per acre, which are expected to appreciate significantly in value within a few years,” he added.

Moreover, this scheme will provide the public with housing that includes improved and modern amenities, as the government commits to constructing roads, sewage systems, electricity, water supply, and public parks in these areas while ensuring compliance with housing regulations to prevent future issues.

Cheema emphasized that farmers will gain additional significant advantages from this scheme: when the government acquires land, they will not only receive financial benefits but also social security.

Every farmer whose land is acquired under this scheme will be entitled to an assistance amount of Rs 50,000 per acre annually for a minimum of three years or until the land is developed, ensuring they do not encounter financial hardships during the construction phase.

In stark contrast, previous administrations allowed builders and land mafias to forcibly acquire land from farmers at minimal prices without providing any financial support. Numerous such cases have surfaced, the Finance Minister concluded.