Implement land policy to ensure food security - Singh

New Delhi, Mar 26 (UNI) Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today laid emphasis on the need of an appropriate land policy that ensures food security in a country like India.

Inaugurating a seminar on ''Land policy for Diversified and Inclusive Agricultural Growth'' here, Dr Singh said the aspects of rehabilitation before land acquisition should not be ignored while going for land acquisition in the name of developmental works across the country.

Referring to the recently announced Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy, 2007 of the Ministry, Dr Singh said a number of incentives regarding proper and well thought rehabilitation of rural population have been introduced and even the landless will be considered for getting benefits from the package. On the impediments being experienced during the implementation of Rural Development schemes like the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the states he said shortage of appropriate land is also one of the reasons for it.

Dr Singh also advocated for the development of waste land for the purpose of land acquisition for Industrial purposes. He said the Department of Land Reforms has initiated a National Land Resource Management Programme on a time bound basis under which the mapping of land will be done through satellite and computerisation of land record is being done for better performance.

He assured all possible help in making out an appropriate land acquisition policy for diversified and inclusive agricultural growth.

The one day seminar was organised by the Agricultural Costs And Prices Committee, Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Department of Land Reforms, Ministry of Rural Development.

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