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More land rights for farmers in Bikaner

Special Correspondent

Raje announces grant of "khatedari" rights

JAIPUR: In a move aimed at ending a 50-year-old anomaly, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has announced grant of "khatedari" rights on land to farmers of 45 villages in Bikaner district which were in the erstwhile Jaisalmer princely state before their merger into Rajasthan after Independence.

Canal visit

Hundreds of farmers in these villages were denied the khatedari entitlement following their merger into Bikaner district.

An approximation survey was undertaken in the villages in 1955 without any legal validity or the resultant grant of rights.

Subsequently the State Government's Land Management Department undertook a survey in 1965 to demarcate the land plots.

Before it could distribute title deeds to farmers for their land, the announcement regarding construction of Indira Gandhi Canal was made and the farmers were deprived of khatedari rights.

Ms. Raje, who reached RD-850 and Bajju villages in Bikaner district on Sunday during her ongoing visit to Indira Gandhi Canal, said the khatedari rights would be provided to all farmers within a month after they submit an affidavit of ceiling land.

"If needed, the Government will not hesitate to amend the law for this purpose,'' she said.

Ms. Raje said the State Government was sensitive to farmers' issues and would take all steps to resolve them. A target for spending Rs. 50 crore on maintenance of Indira Gandhi Canal has been set this year after a recommendation of the 12th Finance Commission, while Rs. 42 crore was spent last year.

Second phase

The Chief Minister said while the canal waters would be supplied up to the tail-end of all distributaries in the project's second phase, the drinking water problem of Kolayat region in the district would be solved shortly by constructing 12 reservoirs.

Reservoir

The construction of a reservoir of 12 MCFT capacity has started at a cost of Rs. 4 crore in RD-750 village.

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