Govt to develop wastelands for poor: MK

Chennai, Jul 28 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi assured the State Assembly today that the Government would develop wastelands and distribute them to poor landless farmers at two acres each after assessing the availability of the land.

Intervening in a discussion on the State Budget for the year 2006-2007, he said statistics relating to the availability of wasteland were being collected now. After the process was over, steps would be taken for the implementation of the scheme as promised in the election manifesto, he added.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition O Panneerselvam contended that the DMK had mentioned in its manifesto that 50 lakh acres of wasteland would be developed and distributed to the poor.

''Where are the 50 lakh acres of land available? How could the Government implement the scheme as most of the wastelands were owned by private individuals,?'' he asked.

Mr Karunanidhi said the DMK went by the previous AIADMK Government's statement in the budget for 2001-2002 that 50 lakh acres of wasteland was available in the state.

He said the poramboke wastelands of the Government would be developed into cultivable lands and distributed to the poor. The patta lands of individuals would also be developed and given back to them for cultivation, he added.

When Mr Panneerselvam insisted that the Government should reveal whether 50 lakh acres of wasteland was available to implement the scheme, Mr Karunanidhi said if possible, the detail would be obtained from Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

It was the AIADMK Government which had mentioned its its budget for 2001-2002 that 50 lakh acres of wasteland available would be developed under the 'Waste land development scheme,' he pointed out.

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