No forcible acquisition of farm land: DVS

BANGALORE:  Keeping in mind the ongoing state-wide farmers’agitation against acquisition of their land by the state government, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda declared that there will be no forcibe acquisition of cultivable land. He was speaking at the  inaugural of the two-day global agri-business and food processing summit here on Thursday. “There are concerns about the availability of land for the implementation of sustainable and inclusive development in synergy with the farmers, traders and the corporate sector. I can assure that there will be no forcible acquisition of cultivable land,” Gowda said.  In his attempt to remove apprehensions of those whose lands are to be acquired in the future, the CM said the state government is making provisions to ensure that the lands which the farmers own can be used as equity in the venture and would continue to be owned by the farmer.“This unique policy is to make the farmer a proud partner in the all-round progress of the society with agriculture as the hub,” the chief minister added. Sounding farmer-friendly all along his speech, Gowda said the state government will encourage farmers groups to put up processing industries at a smaller scale and provide them necessary assistance in order to ensure that the integrated agribusiness development policy is implemented for the three-way benefit of farmers, traders and the consumers.  “It is estimated that once the integrated agri-business development policy is implemented, it is estimated to generate around three lakh direct and seven lakh indirect job opportunities. It is needless to mention that the central and primary focus of beneficiary in the entire scheme is none other than the farmer first,” the chief minister added. Later, speaking to reporters outside the main conference hall, Gowda lambasted a few farmers who raised slogans and protested inside the auditorium when the inaugural event was on.  “Such acts of shouting slogans and disrupting the proceedings are aimed at grabbing media attention at a time when dignitaries are present,” he said.