Govt to safeguard farmers interest: President

Says govt will constantly endeavour for smooth conduct of legislative business and enactment of progressive laws in the Parliament

Government attaches paramount importance to safeguarding the interest of farmers and families affected by land acquisition, President Pranab Mukherjee declared today seeking cooperation of MPs in smooth conduct of Parliament where Opposition plans to corner it on the land ordinance.

Delivering his address to the joint sitting of Parliament, whose budget session commenced today, he said the government will constantly endeavour for smooth conduct of legislative business and enactment of progressive laws in the Parliament.

Giving no indication of any changes in the Ordinance, which the Opposition parties are opposed to, Mukherjee said "My government attaches paramount importance to safeguard the interest of farmers and families affected by land acquisition.

"While taking utmost care to protect the interest of farmers, including their compensation entitlements, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act has been suitably refined to minimise certain procedural difficulties in acquisition of Land inevitably required for critical public projects of infrastructure and for creation of basic amenities like rural housing, schools and hospitals, particularly in remote areas."

The address, which is mandatory at the commencement of the first session every year, lists the steps the government has taken in the nine months it has been in power for financial inclusion, cleanliness campaign and measures to unearth black money both internally and outside.

Terrorism and Left Wing Extremism posed a grave challenge to the internal security of the nation, the President said and asserted that the government was firmly committed to dealing with these challenges in cohesive collaboration with the affected people and state governments in a holistic manner.