The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Farmers prefer land to cash compensation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Farmers prefer land to cash compensation

Staff Reporter

Thousands of acres are set to be acquired for various projects

BANGALORE: Rapid urbanisation around Bangalore that is leading to decline in the area under agriculture has been a cause of concern for farmers, who are losing large tracts of land for infrastructure projects. Yet, a large number of these resilient farmers are preferring developed land for the agriculture land instead of opting for cash compensation in view of their experiences.

Farmers, who were opposing the land acquisition in the initial stages, are now reconciled to the fact that they are set to lose their land, and are seeking return of developed land instead of cash compensation. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has also come up with the offer of 8,500 sq ft of developed land for every acre in lieu of cash compensation, and farmers have been demanding 9,600 sq ft.

Small holdings

Lakshman Gowda, a resident of Battramaranahalli village in Devanahalli taluk, told The Hindu that most land losers were small and marginal farmers holding an average of one acre on which the entire family was dependent upon.

“A large number of landowners who received compensation after surrendering their land to the airport project are today working as landless labourers as most of them did not manage the compensation well. We do not want similar situation to arise now,” he added.

Thousands of acres are set to be acquired for various projects, including the aerospace SEZ at Devanahalli, the integrated township project at Bidadi, the multi-product SEZ at Nandagudi and other housing and road projects initiated by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA).

While nearly 7,000 acres in private holdings will be acquired for the integrated township at Bidadi, nearly 1,000 acres are being acquired for the aerospace SEZ at Devanahalli and the BDA was likely to acquire around 15,000 acres. Working out the economics of land for land deal, Mr. Gowda said: “If we can at least Rs. 1,000 for a square foot of land, 8,500 sq ft of developed land will fetch us Rs. 85 lakh whereas the government has fixed a compensation of around Rs. 35 lakh an acre for aerospace SEZ in Bangalore Urban district.”

M. Gowtham, a resident of Byramangala village who is set to lose land for the integrated township project, said developed land appreciated faster and fetched more to farmers, and that the land losers at Bidadi were seeking developed land instead of cash compensation. “Land gives long-term security to the families and will also prevent misuse of money,” he added.

However, land for land may not be effective in every case of acquisition, and farmers affected by several projects do not prefer to take land. “Farmers may not like to go for developed land in areas that do not have any potential and may settle for cash compensation,” raitha horata samiti president D.S. Gowda said.

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