NOIDA: The protest by farmers in Gautam Budh Nagar against the state government entered its sixth day on Tuesday with a dharna continuing unabated in Greater Noida.

Upping the ante against the Samajwadi Party government for not granting approval to the policy of returning abadi land (land under habitation) to farmers, a group comprising 70 district villages are camping outside the Greater Noida Authority office.

The policy was not cleared in the cabinet meeting held last week in Lucknow. It had been sent by the Authority for its approval last March. As per the policy, abadi land that had been acquired along with farmlands in Greater Noida by the previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government was to be returned to the rightful owners.

Under pressure from farmers during the height of the land acquisition row two years ago, the BSP government had been forced to promise the return of portions of land that had been acquired despite being inhabited by villagers.

“We have met Samajwadi Party leaders as well as senior government officials in the last two years demanding return of abadi land. The approval of the policy would have a direct impact on the lives of 10,000 farmers in the district,” said farmer leader Manvir Bhati.

Farmers are also enraged over the state government’s lack of focus on the development of Greater Noida. They have alleged that the government’s decision to utilize funds generated in Greater Noida for the other districts of UP does not augur well for the development of Gautam Buddh Nagar.

The agitators have also demanded that lease deeds that are being granted to industries in the city should contain a clause for providing mandatory employment to a certain percentage of local youth.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Farmers-agitate-for-abadi-land/articleshow/30252960.cms

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