MLAs should encourage farmers to demand fair compensation for land acquisition Haryana CM

Chandigarh, Mar 27 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday urged the MLAs to encourage farmers in their respective constituencies to demand fair rates for their land on the "e-Bhoomi portal" or to offer land under the land pooling or partnership policy for the establishment of Industrial Model Townships (IMTs).
     The government will provide farmers with the option of Land Pooling Policy and Land Partnership Policy for this purpose, he said.
     The chief minister was giving a reply on the discussion on the Budget estimates in the Vidhan Sabha here.
     Saini, who also holds the finance portfolio, had last week presented a Rs 2.05 lakh crore budget for 2025-26, which was passed by the state Assembly on Thursday evening.
     Responding to concerns raised by the opposition regarding the establishment of IMTs, Saini said in the state Assembly that 10 Industrial Model Townships would be developed in the state and the land requirement for these would be registered on the e-Bhoomi portal at the beginning of the 2025-26 financial year.
     The specific locations of these IMTs will be decided based on land availability, he said.
     He emphasised that the IMTs will be set up wherever suitable land is available and stated that, unlike the previous Congress government, the BJP dispensation does not resort to "forced land acquisition but rather procures land through the Land Pooling Policy in collaboration with farmers".
     Saini assured the House that the state government is committed to developing 10 new industrial cities, thereby creating thousands of job opportunities for the youth and fulfilling its promise of economic growth.
     During the course of Saini's nearly three-and-a-half-hour reply, friendly exchanges were again witnessed between Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Minister Anil Vij.
     "Mujh sey mat khel main aag hoon, main phail gaya toh tu baag bhi na payega," Vij told Hooda.
     During the proceedings on Wednesday too, Vij and Hooda indulged in a friendly banter that included the BJP veteran breaking into a song, sparking bursts of laughter in the Haryana Assembly.
     Chief Minister Saini's reply on Thursday saw him use many couplets to take on the opposition Congress.
     "Jinki siyasat mein bus daavey rahe hain, aaj woh humein nasihat sunane lag rahe hain (there are only claims left in their politics now and they are preaching us)," said Saini, while pointing towards Hooda.
     Hooda also used many couplets to launch a counter-offensive, albeit in a lighter vein.
     Taking another dig at the opposition Congress, Saini said some opposition members termed the Budget baseless and asked them to first remember that the document incorporates several suggestions received from the people of Haryana and wondered how could they term their suggestions as baseless or hollow.
     "When one stands on the rooftop of one's house, one can see other buildings but not one's own. This is the condition of the opposition," he said, asking them to take a look at their own house.
     Saini said the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against illegal mining and has developed the Haryana Mining GIS Portal to streamline mining activities. As a result, government revenue has increased, he said.
     Saini said at present, 42 mines in the state are operating under contracts and leases, generating approximately Rs 600 to Rs 800 crore in revenue.
     In the financial year 2024-25, the mining sector contributed Rs 730 crore in revenue. How such a significant amount could have been collected if illegal mining was rampant, Saini asked, while pointing towards the opposition benches.
     The revenue target for the financial year 2025-26 has been set at Rs 1,400 crore, he said.
     Saini claimed that previous Congress governments allocated mining licences considering districts as a single unit, favouring only their close associates.
     He said between 2009 and 2014, only three licence holders were granted mining operations for the entire state. However, the BJP government introduced a transparent process, divided mining areas into smaller sections and allocation was done through online applications. At present, 42 mining licences have been issued in the state, he stated.
     Saini said earlier, the government received minimal revenue from mining. From 2005 to 2014, the average annual revenue was approximately Rs 129 crore.
     After the implementation of a transparent system, the annual average revenue increased by 391.95 per cent, reaching Rs 637.52 crore. This increase is attributed to the rise in legal mining after curbing illegal activities, he emphasised.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)