Giving farmers in Gujarat a shot in arm, the state government has decided to pay them for their land coming under the Narmada canal command area as per new 'jantri' rates.
As per the Gujarat government's latest policy for converting agricultural land into non-agricultural purposes, new jantri rates will applied to farmers' land falling under the command area, apart from being provided an additional solace of 30 per cent.
Making an announcement in this regard, spokespersons-ministers Jay Narayan Vyas and Saurabh Patel, Government of Gujarat said that accordingly, 86,132 farmers will get Rs 1,270-crore for their 21,671 hectares land coming under the Narmada command area in eight districts including Ahmedabad, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan and Mehsana, as against Rs 500-crore calculated earlier as per the old 'jantri' rate. Hence, the government would bear an additional cost of Rs 770-crore.
Moreover, the ministers announced that so far about 10,183 hectares agricultural land has been acquired from 55,395 farmers for the purpose which would get the balance of the new 'jantri' rate. The government has allocated Rs 6,835 crore for the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) with a view to completing the multipurpose project early.
The ministers said that it became possible because of Chief Minister Narendra Modi's bold decision to ensure the farmers losing their land get adequate compensation as revised 'jantri' rates. Details of the policy were worked out by a Group of Ministers, comprising Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel, Water Resource Minister Nitinbhai Patel and Minister of State for Finance Saurabh Patel.