K'taka New Land Grant rules will impact food supply in the long run: Farmers groups

Bengaluru, 22 Dec 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: The Karnataka Land Grant (Amendment) Rules have received flak from farmer groups and activists. Alleging that the amendment was against their interest, farmer groups said that the rules that were notified last week allows the government to relinquish the leased government lands at the prevailing guidance value, fixed uniform market value while leasing or granting government land.

The amendment subsidised the uniform market value for the leasing of the government land. The notification also read, “The government lands leased for more than fifteen years to societies, charitable or religious institutions, or educational institutions or agriculture or other purpose prior to the date of commencement of the Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Act, 2020 shall be disposed of, by the Government.”

Sachin Meega, President, Karnataka Kisan Congress mentioned that the farmer groups are contesting these amendments. “The Rules were passed by the government as ordinances without consulting the people who’ll be directly affected by it. They are just trying to favour the Industries and grabbing away lands from poor farmers,” he said.

He further added that the farmers are being assured of only myopic prosperity. Moreover, it may have ramifications on food supply in the long run. “Nearly 80-85 % of farmers in Karnataka are marginal farmers and with no MSP and increasing cultivation cost, they are finding it difficult to remain in the agrarian sector. The government is setting a pretence that they can earn more by selling their lands in order to take away the lands from them,” said Chandrashekhar Kodihalli, President, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.

Meega said that they are planning to take legal recourse. If the state does not reconsider, they will file a Public Interest Litigation with the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said, “The state government is acting on the directions of the central government and neglecting the plight of the farmers. We will see to it that no injustice is meted out to them.”