CPI(M) to accord more priority on employment, land reforms

Kolkata, June 18 (UNI) Faced with the anti-land grab campaign among farmers by the Opposition, the CPI (M) today decided to put more thrust on employment generation and land reforms in its rural base in West Bengal.

The party's State Committee at its meeting also resolved to further improve panchayat activities, cover more rural under employment schemes, ensure special care for the benefit of the minority communities and intensify efforts for it.

The meeting emphasised on distributing the vested land among farmers, innovation of new areas to be brought under rural employment schemes, spending 15 per cent of the budget of all Government departments for the minorities and on bank assistance, marketing and training to maintain the progress of the self-help groups, a party release said.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, veteran Polit Bureau leadeer Jyoti Basu and CPI (M) State Committee Secretary Biman Basu were among others present at the meeting.

The meeting took place at a time when the issue of land acquisition for industrialisation had cast a shadow over the state triggering an undercurrent of fear among a section of farmers for losing livelihood.

The Left Front Government was still facing resistance in going ahead with the small car project in Singur, while unrest lingered on in the strife-torn Nandigram making an impact elsewhere in the state, including Asansol where a section of local people put up a stiff resistance to expansion of Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO), demanding a higher price on the land acquired in 1989.

UNI