Karnataka Plans to Amend Revenue Act to Protect Farmers

With cases of land grabbing being reported for unauthorized cultivation on government land, the State Government has decided to amend the revenue act to protect farmers from harassment. Law Minister J C Madhuswamy told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that forest rights, land grabbing, and land encroachment are distinct, and that the government will not tolerate farmers being harassed and land-grabbing cases being filed against them.

"We will amend the existing law so that encroachment on agricultural land is not considered land grabbing and cases will be filed in Bengaluru," he said.

The government wanted to take stern action against land grabbing cases in Bengaluru, but that opened the floodgates, he said, adding that they are embarrassed that 200 to 300 farmers come to court every day. "We'll figure it out," he said.

The minister was responding to Congress MLA H K Patil's call for the formation of a House committee to investigate Forest Department officials' harassment of farmers in Gadag district. According to him, 776 cases have been filed against farmers accusing them of land grabbing.

Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa stated that it is very unfortunate that officials are harassing farmers and that this must stop. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, and members from all parties expressed concern about farmer harassment.

No waiver of Agri loans: Somashekhar  

The State Government has clarified that there is no plan to waive agricultural loans taken out by farmers who died as a result of Covid-19. "They borrowed Rs 91.97 crore in loans." "There has been no order from the government to waive the loans," the minister clarified.

Responding to a question from BJP MLC Munirajugowda P M in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, Cooperation Minister S T Somashekhar said that among the farmers who died in the first and second waves of the pandemic, 10,437 had taken out loans from various cooperative institutions.