CHANDIGARH: Facing criticism from opposition parties and farmers, the Punjab government announced an increase in incentives under its land pooling policy on Monday. Landowners will now receive an annual compensation of ₹50,000 per acre before the government takes possession, escalating to ₹1 lakh per acre post-acquisition.
Punjab Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian stated that farmers would receive the first payment of ₹50,000 within 21 days of applying for the scheme, along with a letter of interest. If land development takes 2-3 years, the compensation will increase by 10% each year, Mundian shared after meeting with residents of 164 villages affected by the scheme. He noted that the decision will be greenlit by the state cabinet in its next meeting.
According to officials, the cabinet will convene on Tuesday morning. Mundian sought feedback from landowners regarding the initiative. He affirmed that farmers would retain the right to farm their land until development commences, thus allowing them to earn income while waiting for government action.
Ongoing discussions with farmers in the affected villages will continue, he assured. Under the new scheme, farmers will also be allocated residential and commercial plots. Mundian criticized previous governments for allowing illegal colonies to benefit a select few, resulting in haphazard urban growth, which left residents without essential services. “This new initiative aims to create stable income sources for farmers from planned commercial properties,” he emphasized.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended the policy as a pro-farmer measure designed to foster development and secure long-term income for rural landowners. Speaking at an event in Dhuri, where he distributed over ₹31 crore for development projects across 70 villages, Mann asserted that the policy does not involve compulsory land acquisition. “Farmers will become long-term stakeholders in Punjab’s advancement,” he affirmed.
Farmers Protest in Amritsar
On Monday, hundreds of farmers gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Amritsar to protest the government’s land pooling policy. Kashmir Singh, president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta), alleged that the policy aims to displace farmers and seize their land, with notifications issued to acquire land across 22 villages in Amritsar, totaling 4,464 acres, which Singh called a significant injustice.
