BENGALURU: Agriculture Minister BC Patil on Friday tried to allay concerns over misuse of the proposed amendment to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act to allow purchase of agriculture lands by non-agriculturists.
However, the decision taken by the state cabinet on Thursday is set to face stiff opposition from the opposition Congress. The proposed change is intended to encourage more people to take up farming, set up agro-processing industries and cold storage facilities, Patil told reporters. He added that the state government will ensure that farmers’ interests are protected.
Pointing out that four lakh graduates pass out from agricultural universities every year and it is difficult to provide employment to all of them, the minister said, “The proposed amendment will help attract many such graduates to take up agriculture and related activities.” Meanwhile, the Congress termed the proposed changes as an “attempt to help big corporate houses, real estate developers and the land mafia”.
“People with money will buy land and create land bank, while small farmers will become agriculture labourers,” said Congress Legislature Party Siddaramaiah. The former CM held a meeting with senior Congress leaders, including Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge, former ministers Ramesh Kumar and T B Jayachandra, to discuss the party strategy.