Bill passed in WB assembly to help farmers in distress

West Bengal assembly today passed a bill seeking to provide full exemption of land revenue (Khazna), cess and surcharge in respect of agricultural land to help distressed farmers.
The West Bengal Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017, was today moved in the assembly to amend the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955, for the benefit of a large number of farmers in the state.
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has always fought for the farmers in distress.
It was her commitment for the farmers, which has been kept through this amendment of the bill. Interest of the farmers would be protected by the state government, he said.

The minister also said that the Mamata Banerjee government is against conversion of agricultural land.
Both agriculture and industry would come up on land specified for them categorically, Chatterjee said adding no construction would be allowed on agricultural land in the state.
The bill was passed in voice vote, though some opposition members alleged that the farmers in the state were not getting right price of their produce.