CHENNAI: The contentious issue of wasteland development and distribution to landless farmers rocked the Assembly on Friday.

While the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam raised apprehension about the availability of land, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) asserted that the Government was determined to implement the scheme.

The row was triggered by Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam member Vijayakant who, during the general debate on the revised budget for 2006-2007, said it was shocking that the Government had just started collecting statistics on availability of wasteland.

Move opposed

Intervening, Law and Revenue Minister I. Periyasamy said the previous AIADMK regime's move in 2001 to hand over wasteland to multi-national corporations and big industrial units was strongly opposed by the Left parties.

The DMK in its election manifesto had announced that 55 lakh acres of wasteland would be developed and the Government would distribute two acres each to families of poor landless farmers besides developing patta wasteland and handing it over to the owners, he said.

Amid loud protests from the AIADMK members, Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudi said if at all there was any inaccuracy in the estimates of wasteland available, it was due to the information provided by the previous Government.

When deputy leader of the Opposition O. Paneerselvam asked for a categorical reply from the Treasury Benches on the feasibility of the DMK's election promise, Mr. Ponmudi said wasteland would be certainly distributed to the landless farmers.

Referring to the AIADMK members' apprehensions, the Minister for Electricity Arcot N. Veerasamy said though the previous government had failed to carry out its wasteland development programme as announced in its budget for 2001-2002, the present regime had initiated measures to implement the election promise.

Mr. Paneerselvam then asked, "Where are the 55 lakh acres of wasteland?"

Karunanidhi intervenes

Prompted by this query, Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi intervened to quote the then Finance Minister C. Ponnaiyan's budget speech of August 18, 2001.

The relevant portion of the budget for 2001-2002 read out by Mr. Karunanidhi said: "There is an urgent need to review and coordinate our land use strategy for the development of agriculture in the context of agro-climatic zones in different regions of the State. An estimated 43 per cent of the total land area in the State is now under cultivation. Our Honourable Chief Minister Selvi J. Jayalalithaa has already outlined her vision of reclaiming 20 lakh hectares of cultivable wasteland through a massive wasteland development programme to be implemented over the next five years. This programme will incorporate a micro-watershed development approach with focus on soil and water conservation."

"Everyone knows that these are the 50 lakh acres we are referring to," Mr. Karunanidhi said, adding that if they [main Opposition] wanted, the Government was prepared to ask the former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to identify the location of the wasteland.

The DMK did not anticipate that those who had been claiming to give a good administration would provide incorrect information on the extent of wasteland. The DMK Government's wasteland project was based on the principles of socialism combined with the ideology of self-respect, he noted.

Mr. Paneerselvam said that during the debate on the 2001-2002 budget itself, it was explained that 20 lakh hectares of wasteland including Government , Government poramboke and private land would be developed under the AIADMK Government's programme. The process was also initiated then. The party was prepared to provide the details.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu