K'taka revises land acquisition policy

Karnataka has revised the land acquisition policy making it mandatory for projects coming up on agricultural lands to offer 20 per cent of the developed property to farmers from whom the lands have been acquired. Farmers will not be paid any monetary compensation for the land acquired.

This policy will not be applicable to SEZs, public infrastructure projects and single unit industrial projects. However, other projects like real estate and IT parks have to follow the model. Farmers, who hold land in the range of 10 guntas (one fourth of an acre) to 50 acres will be covered under the policy.

Besides, the land developer or project promoter has to acquire the land from the farmers directly without taking the assistance of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

The state cabinet, which met here on Monday, approved the change in land acquisition policy.

"The decision comes in the wake of allegations that farmers whose lands are acquired for various development projects, will be rendered jobless. For every acre of land acquired, a farmer will be eligible for 8,500 square feet of the developed property. The farmer, in turn, can sell it to the developer or a third party," Karnataka's primary and secondary education minister Basavaraja H Horatti told reporters after the meeting.

However, the revised policy has several loose ends. It does not specify the time frame for the land development and its subsequent hand over to the farmer.

"That aspect is still being worked out. We have to amend the Act concerned. We revised the policy after consulting farmers' groups," the minister said.