Will allow land ordinance to lapse: PM

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune news service

New Delhi, August 30

The government has decided to allow the land acquisition ordinance to lapse tomorrow and include 13 points in the rules to provide direct financial benefit to the farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

“We had brought in an ordinance (on land acquisition) which is lapsing on August 31, and I have decided to let it lapse,” the Prime Minister said in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ assuring the farmers that government was ready to amend land acquisition Act to benefit farmers.

In his address, the Prime Minister said a lot of misinformation is being spread among the farmers, which is confusing them. Assuring farmers on the land acquisition Bill, Modi said the government will ensure that farmers don’t suffer due to the lapsing of the Bill tomorrow. The 13 pointers will be added to the Bill today to amend the Bill which will allay their apprehensions, he added.

The Prime Minister also remembered the martyrs of the 1965 War with Pakistan and said, “For us, ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ is not a mere slogan, but it is a mantra for us for the welfare of villages, farmer and the poor."

Modi said the Jan Dhan Yojna was a huge success and that 17.74 lakh bank accounts had been opened under it. He said that over 22000 crore had been deposited in banks under the yojna.

In his first reaction on the recent Gujarat violence over the quota issue, the Prime Minister said the incidents, which claimed at least ten lives, had upset the entire nation.

“The recent incidents of violence in Gujarat has upset the entire nation. Whatever happens to the land of Gandhi and Sardar Patel, the nation is shocked and pained first,” he said.

Appreciating the people of Gujarat, Modi said their cooperation helped in controlling the situation. “In a very short time, my Gujarati brothers and sisters controlled the situation. They played an active role and did not let the situation worsen and peace was restored in the state."

Urging people to work together for development, he said that development alone will solve all problems.

“Peace, unity and brotherhood are the only correct way and we have to walk together on the path of development as only it is the solution of our problems,” he said.

Prime Minister also congratulated the Maharashtra government for honoring Dr B.R. Ambedkar and solving the issue of the Indu Mill land.

He said the house where Dr Ambedkar stayed in London had also been acquired by the government and soon a memorial would come up there.

The Prime Minister also said he was happy to visit Bodh Gaya for a Buddhist conference. “It is a matter of immense pleasure that I am getting an opportunity to visit Bodh Gaya in the company of Buddhist scholars,” he said.

Modi, while observing that interviews are possibly the reason for corruption at the lower levels, said the government is working very fast to end the requirement of interview for certain government jobs.

“In my Independence Day address, I had questioned the requirement of interview for lower category jobs. Because whenever a call for interview comes, parents of poor people run from pillar to post, looking for ‘sifarish’ (recommendation) and ‘jack’ (help) ... And perhaps this is the reason for corruption at lower levels,” he said.

He noted that he had said in his address from the Red Fort on August 15 that government jobs below a certain rank should be freed from the requirement of interview.

“I am happy that, in such a short span of 15 days, the government is moving very fast. Communications are being sent and the decision will be implemented to do away with the requirement of interview for low ranking jobs. Poor people will not have to look for recommendations. There will be no exploitation, no corruption,” he added. (With inputs from PTI)