Bowing to farmers’ demand, Karnataka government today decided to raise multifold the compensation for 1,916 acres land in three villages, acquired by a company executing the Bangalore-Mysore expressway road project.
The land in Gonipura, Thippooru and Shigehalli in city outskirts of Kengeri in Bangalore south taluk was acquired in 1998 by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise(NICE), which is executing the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project at the rate of Rs 1.5 lakh per acre.
Now as per the report of Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner on land compensation fixation, the government has approved a special rate, at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Farmers in Gonipura and Thipporu whose land had been acquired would now get Rs 41 lakh per acre and those in Shigehalli Rs 40 lakh per acre, to be paid by NICE. In addition, farmers who sold less than one acre would get a 30X40 square feet site and those above that 40X60 square feet site, said Law Minister S Suresh Kumar, who briefed reporters.
The government’s move also appears to aim at blunting the campaign of the opposition JD-S which had accused the NICE of acquiring land in excess by providing a raw deal to farmers.