The Hindu : National : Centre accepts land reform demands

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Tuesday, Oct 30, 2007
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Centre accepts land reform demands

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The nearly month-long march of around 25,000 Dalits, tribals and landless labourers from Gwalior to Delhi ended on a positive note here on Monday with the government accepting all their demands pertaining to land reforms.

Announcing the decision from the platform of Janadesh-2007 on the Ramlila Grounds here, Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said a committee headed by him would be formed within a month to look into the unfinished task of land reforms. Also, a national land reforms council led by the Prime Minister would be constituted.

States’ cooperation

Mr. Singh said while the Ministry would continue to work closely with the champions of land reforms, it was essentially a State subject and their cooperation was also required.

To a query, the Minister said the announcements made on Monday were not likely to be reduced to empty promises as the Ministry would constantly be in touch with members of the Ekta Parishad, a Gandhian organisation which had been in the forefront of the struggle of the landless and the poor, and also other civil rights groups on the issue.

“We have not taken the decision under pressure but with a lot of enthusiasm and in close consultation with your representatives,” Mr. Singh told the gathering amid applause.

Social activist Nihkil Dey told the gathering that the committee would address all their demands which included setting up of fast track courts for settlement of land disputes, single window system for registration of land and proper assessment of ownership of land and its availability for redistribution.

The deputy chairperson of the committee would be a person associated with the struggle for land rights and half of its members would be from the same section, said. Mr. Dey. All the suggestions made by the committee would be discussed with complete transparency. Calling the announcement a Diwali gift, Ekta Parishad president P.V. Rajagopal said the march had ended in victory. “

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