Chandigarh, July 29 -- The Punjab land pooling scheme, a flagship initiative of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that seeks to give "planned urban development" a big push, has so far received a tepid response from farmers. This comes even as the AAP government has sweetened the deal for farmers by approving an increase in the compensation for farmers whose land is to be acquired. Apart from backlash from farmer unions, who have dubbed the controversial land pooling policy a "looting scheme to usurp fertile land", the AAP government is also facing flak from Opposition parties --- the Congress, Shirmomani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) --- that have termed the move "anti-peasantry and impractical" and launched vociferous attacks against it. The state government plans to acquire 65,533 acres of land across 21 cities and towns in the state to develop both industrial and residential zones. It is being dubbed as the largest acquisition of land by the government in the state since 1966. However, only 115 land owners - 15 from Ludhiana and nearly 100 from Mohali --- have come forward to adopt the scheme since its launch on June 2. The policy is open till September 30. In Ludhiana, where 23,000 acres have been proposed to be acquired, maximum in the state, at least 2,000 land owners have registered their strong opposition to the policy. In Mohali 7,300 are being proposed to be aggregated under the policy. "At least 900 acres in our village falls under their policy, and we have submitted a memorandum from the panchayat that not a single inch will be given to Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority," says Ranjit Singh, a resident of Khandoor village. "This land is our livelihood and we will not let it to be taken away in the name of development," he says. "Hoardings and banners stating that AAP leaders are not welcome are being put up in several villages," he adds. After stiff opposition to the scheme, the AAP government on July 22 approved amendments to its land pooling policy, offering better terms to landowners in lieu of pooled land. Announcing the amendments, CM Mann said the farmers who opt for land pooling will now receive an annual livelihood allowance of Rs.1 lakh until their land is developed - a fivefold increase from Rs.20,000 given by previous governments, and those offering one kanal of land will get an alternative of 125 square yards of residential land and 25 square yards of commercial land per kanal of land in return. The chief minister said that the government has also assured long-term support by announcing a 10% annual increment in this Rs.1 lakh amount. He also said throughout the process, there will be no restrictions on the sale or purchase of land. "Farmers will be free to buy, sell, or register their land at any time," he said. The changes, however, failed to find favour with farmers who have been drawing parallels between this policy and the three farm laws that were introduced in 2020 by the BJP-led Union government, which were later repealed after a year-long struggle. Senior SKM leader and Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president BS Rajewal termed the policy as a fraud. "The government is taking away one acre of land and giving back the owner 1,000 square yard plot. Is this justified?" he asked. Rajewal said the SKM was guiding panchayats on filing of resolutions against their land being taken away, adding that the farmers from across the state will take out a tractor march on July 30 against this policy. "A big event has been planned at Mullanpur on August 24. We will not rest till this policy is cancelled," he announced. "We have been staging protest against this policy outside the GLADA office and more than 600 objections have been filed from four villages - Malak, Pona, Aligarh and Agwargujran," said Didar Singh of Didar village in Ludhiana. Similarly, villagers from Rajgarh, Bhundri, Jaspalon, Ayali Khurd, Jhande, Lalton, and Gorsian are also actively taking part in the protest. Protests have erupted in Mohali too against the policy. "We are the rightful residents and cultivators of these lands. We won't give consent to GMADA for any kind of acquisition," says Harvinder Singh, a resident of Bhelolpur village in Mohali. The farmers fear that once their land is acquired for the pooling scheme, they will lose control over it permanently and receive much less in return than what their land is worth. The authorities, though, have maintained that the policy is voluntary, and land will only be pooled if owners give consent. Only a handful of land owners have shown interest in the scheme. Rajesh Agarwal, owner of 100 acres on Pakhowal road (Ludhiana), has given his consent to the GLADA for development of a new urban estate on his land. The policy has invited sharp criticism from Opposition parties that aapprehend that the scheme will open "doors for corruption" and would allow select parcels to be excluded from auction at the whims and fancies of the government. The scheme, they say, is in direct contrast the Central Land Acquisition Act- 2013 that stipulates compensation at four times the collector rate besides a resettlement scheme. "The state government is preparing to exploit farmers in the guise of development. Who would trade a one-acre fertile land for a 1,000 square yard plot," says Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring who led party workers' protest against the policy in Mohali this week. Opposition leaders have maintained that the "AAP wants to milk the scheme to fund its election campaign in 2027." SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has termed the policy "a plan by the AAP government to grab lands of farmers." Even AAP seems to be a divided house over the issue. On Sunday, AAP's Anandpur Sahib MP Malwinder Singh Kang wrote on micro-blogging site X that his government needs to earn farmers' trust before implementing the scheme. Later, Kang deleted the comment as it kicked up a storm. According to a developer building a multi-crore commercial project in Mohali, all big cities in Punjab have big chunks of land that have been purchased by colonisers. "They would never part with those chunks," he said. "The reason is simple. The government has put a stop on 'change in land use' for the projects coming after December 15. It's the end of business for private builders," he adds. Defending the scheme, principal secretary (housing) Vikas Garg said the policy is an extension of what was launched in 2008 during SAD-BJP regime and continued in the Congress government which took over in 2017. "We have only improved the scheme. In the long run, the policy will benefit all. The policy has been framed to ensure world class urban development in the state and farmers have been made partners in this growth initiative," he adds. The AAP government has slammed the Opposition parties for spreading "false propaganda" against the land-pooling scheme. "It's a farmer-friendly scheme. The SAD, BJP and Congress are trying to mislead people for their vested interests," said Punjab AAP chief Aman Arora....