Farmers in WB better off than other states: Buddhadeb
Farmers in West Bengal were much better off than in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar where they committed suicide because of debt, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Tuesday
By Agencies |
CANNING: Farmers in West Bengal were much better off than in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar where they committed suicide because of debt, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Tuesday
"Farmers control panchayats in the state because they own the land they cultivate. Farmers here don't commit suicide because of this," Bhattacharjee told a gathering after distributing title deeds for 834 acre to 2393 villagers here in South 24 Parganas district.
Vested land, he said, was being distributed to the landless in the state, he said.
He said this model had been suggested by him to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for being followed in other states, where land was owned by the moneyed class.
Bhattacharjee who distributed title deeds to mainly minorities, besides some SCs and STs and women, said, "We don't differentiate on religious grounds in distributing land.
"There are many political parties in rural areas. We will not go by political affiliations. We pledge to give land to the landless in villages," he said.
Of the total land available in the state, 84 per cent had been distributed among the poor, he said.
He said initiatives were also being taken to increase the income of farmers for which the government was taking steps to enhance agricultural production. "The irrigation system is being improved. The Sundarbans Development Board has dug 50,000 ponds for rainwater harvesting."
Referring to the industrialisation drive by his government, he said "Young men want jobs. For jobs we need industries, otherwise how will jobs be created?"
"Farmers control panchayats in the state because they own the land they cultivate. Farmers here don't commit suicide because of this," Bhattacharjee told a gathering after distributing title deeds for 834 acre to 2393 villagers here in South 24 Parganas district.
Vested land, he said, was being distributed to the landless in the state, he said.
He said this model had been suggested by him to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for being followed in other states, where land was owned by the moneyed class.
Bhattacharjee who distributed title deeds to mainly minorities, besides some SCs and STs and women, said, "We don't differentiate on religious grounds in distributing land.
"There are many political parties in rural areas. We will not go by political affiliations. We pledge to give land to the landless in villages," he said.
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Of the total land available in the state, 84 per cent had been distributed among the poor, he said.
He said initiatives were also being taken to increase the income of farmers for which the government was taking steps to enhance agricultural production. "The irrigation system is being improved. The Sundarbans Development Board has dug 50,000 ponds for rainwater harvesting."
Referring to the industrialisation drive by his government, he said "Young men want jobs. For jobs we need industries, otherwise how will jobs be created?"
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