Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 15: MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary on Tuesday April 14 termed the Land Ordinance Bill introduced by the NDA government as pro-farmer and not anti-farmer. He said, "Considering the welfare of people and farmers, these amendments have been introduced in the land ordinance bill and this should not create any confusion among the farmers."

He was addressing the press meet at BJP office here on Tuesday April 14.

He added, "The UPA government introduced this land ordinance bill in 2013 but it had not been implemented. The NDA government later made five amendments in the bill regarding the country's internal security, drinking water problems, education, basic facilities for rural area, and housing facilities for the poor. But the congress party leaders are projecting the bill as anti farmer throughout the
nation and creating confusion among the people."

"As an opposition party, congress has the right to protest provided they find new issues to protest about," Poojary stated.

In the land acquisition bill introduced by the UPA government, no housing facility was available. Further there was no employment opportunity provided at the time when land was acquired to construct the industrial corridor in the earlier bill. But the present bill on land acquisition guarantees employment to farmers in rural areas whose land is acquired for industrial corridor.

"When farmers lose land for semi/private reasons, all security like education, employment and basic facilities are provided to them. 5% of the industrial profit will be utilized for the development of people in the land ordinance bill introduced by the NDA government."

In this ordinance, farmers will be provided proper rehabilitation and compensation which has not been possible in 100 years. The farmers will get four times more compensation at market rate for their land. 20% of the land will be given to the farmers if necessary. Education institutions, hospital and housing facilities will be set up for them.

Commenting on the Economic and Educational Survey-2015 of the state government, he said,"Classification of caste and sub-caste is creating confusion among the people. The government should take measures to correct this.

He informed the meet that he has written a letter to CM Siddaramaiah asking him to sanction Rs 25 crore for IIT projects in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada district and will also write to the PM on the same issue.

BJP Dakshina Kannada district president Prathap Simha Nayak, Ravishankar Mizar and others were present.