Against the backdrop of state governments acquiring lands on behalf of corporates, BJP today batted for the ''Gujarat model'', saying only non-productive lands should be taken over so that the interest of farmers is not harmed.
"If there is no alternative for development, then there is no alternative to the development of farmers," Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said here.
He said while the maximum number of special economic zones have been set up in Gujarat, there were no protests over land acquisition.
"The state government has acquired non-productive land along the coast," he said, adding that the priority of the government should be to take over non-cultivable land to avoid a food security crisis.
He was speaking on the issue of ''development vs displacement'' organised by the economic wing of the BJP.
Quoting experts, he said private entities should be asked to acquire lands on their own at market prices and the government should step in to use its right of eminent domain only if necessary to build projects like highways and dams.
Jaitley said 20 years after the end of the Licence Raj, corruption has become "decentralised" and land has become the biggest hub of corruption.
He said such instances can be found in states like Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, BJP MP Prakash Javadekar said equal care in terms of resettlement should be ensured for landless farmers who fail to get compensation in case lands are taken over.
He also stressed on the need to ensure that farmers do not get lump sum amount in compensation and it should be paid on a monthly basis like pension.
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