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Bhopal, Nov 17 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday announced the cancellation of the land pooling policy launched in the state to acquire agricultural land for development projects in view of the Simhastha Kumbh to be held in Ujjain in 2028.
The decision comes a day before Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) is set to stage a protest on Tuesday to oppose the land pooling policy, alleging that farmers are being forced to sell their land to the state government.
According to official information, the decision was taken after a marathon meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including state party president Hemant Khandelwal, a delegation of BKS, officials of the Urban Development Department and Ujjain district administration, held at the residence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in Bhopal.
Chief Minister Yadav presided over the meeting which ended after more than two and a half hours.
After discussing the issue, it was decided that the land pooling policy for Simhastha Kumbh would be repealed and a notification regarding the issue would be issued by the state urban development department.
“The decision to cancel the land pooling policy for Simhastha-2028 was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in the presence of Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal, BKS members and officials of the urban development department,” the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit said in a statement.
Earlier on Monday, Madhya Pradesh BKS convenor Bharat Singh had told media persons that more than 2,000 farmers from Ujjain and surrounding districts of Malwa-Nimar region would participate in the protest to raise their grievances.
RSS-affiliated BKS has been protesting against the state’s land pooling policy since the scheme was launched in January this year, especially in Chief Minister Yadav’s native district Ujjain.
The main concern regarding the land policy scheme among farmers and the state government is regarding land acquisition for construction of permanent structures in view of Simhastha-2028.
To acquire agricultural land on a large scale, the CM Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh government introduced the land pooling policy.
On the other hand, farmers protested against the state government’s plan to build permanent structures, including ashrams, for the Simhastha Mahakumbh in Ujjain.
–IANS
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