Overview

• Thousands of farmers held coordinated tractor marches on July 30 to oppose the AAP government’s plan to pool 65,533 acres of farmland across 21 cities and towns for industrial and residential development.
• Only 115 landowners have enrolled in the scheme since its June 2 approval, while gram sabhas in dozens of villages have passed resolutions rejecting the policy as coercive.
• SKM leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal and Harinder Singh Lakhowal labeled the policy “anti-farmer” and warned it would displace thousands of farming families and rural labourers.
• State Finance Minister Harpal Cheema reiterated that participation is voluntary and insisted no land will be forcibly acquired under the land pooling policy.
• Farm unions plan to hold mahapanchayats from August 4 and will mobilize a major rally on August 24 if the government does not withdraw the scheme.