More compensation for farmers

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 25. The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, today announced a substantial hike in land compensation rates for farmers besides constitution of a Rural Development Board by next month. These announcements were made at the Kisan Rally at the Ramlila Grounds here.

Ms. Dixit made the announcements on the direction of Ms. Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President. The Delhi Government had hiked the land acquisition rate from Rs. 16 lakh to Rs. 23 lakh. In effect, the rate would be Rs. 15.73 lakhs, followed by a solocisum of 30 per cent as compensation for the crop or other infrastructure of the farmer. In addition, 12 per cent interest would be payable to farmers if the payment is delayed for more than one year from the award of acquisition notification.

The Chief Minister also announced that a Rural Development Board, on the line of the Trans-Yamuna Development Board, would come up by next month. But this announcement had been made by Ms. Dixit nearly six months ago while addressing a public meeting in rural Delhi. But the implementation had been stalled due to differences over the constitution of the Board within the Council of Ministers.

In fact, the Sheila Dixit Government had been pushed into making the announcement for enhancement in land compensation rates after a number of MLAs had pointed to the new general secretary and Delhi in-charge, Mr. Kamal Nath, that their own Government was sitting on issues concerning farmers. Following this, the AICC(I) had issued a direction to the Delhi Government to take steps to make the announcement at the Kisan Rally.

The former Union Minister, Mr. Balram Jhakhar, who had criticised the Delhi Government at a rally in Outer Delhi last week for not enhancing the rate of land compensation today applauded the effort of Ms. Dixit and thanked her for showing the way to the other States.

The DPCC(I), Mr. Subhash Chopra, lashed out at the NDA Government for turning a blind eye to the problems of the farmers and thanked Ms. Sonia Gandhi, for leading the fight for justice for the farmers. While their produce was being purchased at lower rates, it was being sold at a higher rate to the public. The Public Distribution System (PDS) was in a shambles and the poor were being exploited, he said. Mr. Chopra said today's rally would provide a historic turn to the struggle of farmers.

He said the NDA Government would have to listen to the farmers otherwise they would be thrown out. He pledged that the Congress(I) would not rest till it got the farmers their rightful share.

Mr. Kamal Nath said the large number of people who had gathered at the Ramlila Ground was an indication of the anger of the farmers which was slowing building into a volcano. The country, he said, was looking towards the Congress(I) to lead them against the communal Government at the Centre which had been exploiting the farmers.

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