Congress: BJP claims fake credit for farmer compensation
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh is facing fresh allegations of “fake credit” for raising land acquisition compensation for farmers, with the opposition Congress arguing the provision was actually enacted by the previous administration.
On Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved an increase in the multiplication factor applicable to land acquisition in rural areas from 1.0 to 2.0. This change provides farmers with compensation up to four times the market price, up from the existing double price. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav termed the move a “major decision in the interest of farmers” and announced it would be immediately implemented through an amendment to the state’s 2015 rules.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh criticized the timing of the announcement. In an X post, he accused the state BJP government of being late by a decade and trying to smother farmers under its favors while taking false credit.
“After a decade-long wait, the Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to implement fourfold compensation for farmers in accordance with the land acquisition law enacted by the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh’s leadership, in response to the farmers’ strong demands,” Ramesh wrote.
The former union minister noted that the truth is the September 2013 law by the UPA government already included a provision for fourfold compensation for rural landowners. He argued that for 10 years, the previous multiplier of 1.0 was kept in place, and now the state is implementing the same law while claiming the credit.
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The provision was made under the first schedule of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013. This section asked States to notify the same multiplier.
Impact on infrastructure projects
The decision is expected to expedite several infrastructural works pending in the State, including road, railway, and dam projects. The move also holds significance for two multi-State river-linking projects that Madhya Pradesh is part of.
Specifically, the Ken-Betwa link project in the Bundelkhand region has been facing protests from local farmers and tribal communities. While the government frames the compensation hike as a step to address these demands and clear stalled projects, the implementation of this decade-old promise is now a central point of political contention.
Historically, state governments have struggled to balance the need for infrastructure development with the rights of landowners. This recent political maneuvering in Madhya Pradesh reflects a broader pattern where the timing of policy rollouts often becomes as contentious as the policies themselves. The delay in this case highlights the tension between administrative inertia and political responsiveness, where the eventual implementation of a central law is treated as a partisan victory rather than a routine administrative function. The Ken-Betwa link project has faced significant opposition, which the government hopes this new compensation structure will help resolve. Skyroot’s Vikram-1 makes first private Indian orbital launch
