Jaitley says changes in land Act won’t harm farmers

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 28

National coordinator of the Bharti Kisan Union (Tikait group) Ajmer Singh Lakhowal today made it clear to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that the amendments in the Land Acquisition Act were not acceptable to a large majority of farmers across the country.

He said that the Union government should interact with them on the issue. In response, Jaitley assured the BKU leader that the Union government would take a final call on it after taking farmer leaders into confidence, claimed Lakhowal.

Along with other farmer leaders, Lakhowal today met Jaitley at his office in New Delhi.

Lakhowal said that Jaitley had told him that a committee of farmers would be set up soon to discuss various issues related to farmers and farming with the authorities.

Lakhowal said that he stressed on the need for reducing the cost of production by slashing the price of various inputs used for agriculture. “We also urged him to give relief to the farming community by waiving their outstanding farm-related loans and also reduce the interest rate on farm loans to 3 per cent,” said Lakhowal. “We requested him to implement the Swaminathan Committee report with regard to the fixing of the minimum support price (MSP),” he said.

Lakhowal said that Jaitley listened to farmers with an open mind and assured them that action would be taken on various suggestions and points raised by BKU and other leaders.

Jaitley told BKU leaders that the Centre would spend at least Rs 50,000 crore every year to improve irrigation infrastructure such as canals and also to provide road network to rural areas.