Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government has modified the land pooling scheme brought for the acquisition of plots for Simhastha in Ujjain. The Urban Development Department issued an order modifying the scheme on Wednesday.
The government had two options: either to revoke or to modify the scheme numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Ujjain Development Authority.
By modifying the scheme, the government has opened the door for the acquisition of land for the construction of roads and for developing social infrastructure. In this way, it also freed the lands from the shackle of the scheme for special needs.
In the order, it has been said a special compensation will be given to the farmers to be taken for building roads and social infrastructure.
The farmers were opposing the land pooling scheme. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) was staging sit-ins against it. Keeping the farmers protests in mind, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav held talks with the representatives of the BKS and announced on Monday that the scheme would be revoked.
Afterwards, the officials of the Urban Development Department were mulling over the decision that the government could take on the scheme.
If the scheme were cancelled, the government would have acquired land under the Land Acquisition Act of the Revenue Department for building roads and other works.
Thus, the government has maintained the scheme instead of completely scrapping it. Now that the scheme has been modified, the government will be able to acquire land from the farmers for building roads, constructing the sewage system and other works.
The government plans to construct a 50-km road at the fair site where Simhastha will be held. Now, the administration will acquire land from the farmers through the scheme.
According to the guidelines, the farmers will get double compensation. Because the order speaks about the special compensation, the farmers may get more payments.
BKS against scheme modification, to return to path of agitation: Anjana
President of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) Kamal Singh Anjana said his organisation had clearly written to the government that it should withdraw the Land Pooling Act meant for acquiring plots in the Simhastha area. The BKS also said the gazette notification of the Act should be withdrawn, and Simhastha should be organised the way it had been previously held. The cases registered against the farmers should be withdrawn. But the government is trying to confuse the issue in the name of modification of the Act, he said, adding that if it is not completely withdrawn, the BKS will return to the path of agitation.
