BJP denies scam inJatropha farm land allotment

Jaipur, Jan 12 (UNI) The BJP government has categorically denied Opposition Congress charge of alloting 14.5 lakh hectare barren land to private companies for cultivation of Jatropha, which will help produce biodiesel.

At a press conference here today, PWD and Parliamentary Affairs minister Mr Rajendra Rathore said the Congress state president Dr B D Kalla's charge of a probable land scam in this regard is totally baseless as the ratio of providing barren land to private companies would vary and can be even 10 per cent depending on the number of proposals received.

He said the government would provide land to Below Poverty Line (BPL) groups absolutely free which would be decided at the gram panchayat level.

He further added that such a policy of alloting barren land to private companies is being pursued in Congress-ruled states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Maharashtra and Mizoram apart from Chattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka under the central government's Central Biodiesel Mission.

Mr Rathore emphasised that Congress should look into their own states before saying that the BJP government here is unsurping the rights of the farmers.

The minister further said the proposal would include giving land to landless farmers as well.

The government already has proposals from companies like Reliance, HPCL, Indian Oil and D-1 for setting up Jatropha farming and ultimately biodiesel units.

In a major decision, the Cabinet this week decided to give 48.49 lakh hectare barren land to private companies, village panchayats and NGOs for cultivation of jatropha. Out of 48.49 lakh, 14.5 lakh hectares alone would be given to private companies.

Congress has charged that BJP government's decision to allot land at lower prices to private companies would ultimately result in land scam.

UNI