Chandigarh, August 26 – While taking strong exception to the opposition of Haryana Ceiling of Land Holding Act by INLD, the Haryana Industries Minister, Mr. Randeep Singh Surjewala today said that sensationalization of the issue of amendment in the Haryana Ceiling of Land Holdings Act, 1972 was being done with calculated and sinister design to block job creation, derail rapid industrialization and stop urbanization and reverse the process of exceptional socio-economic growth potential of Haryana and Haryanvis, which has been ushered by the Congress Government led by Ch. Bhupinder Singh Hooda since March, 2005 till date. Describing the Act as the need of the hour, Mr. Surjewala said that it was a matter of fact that our country’s economy has been rising at very top of the world order under UPA government under the able guidance of UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. He said that the state of Haryana has been the biggest contributor to this growth story with its GDP growth ranging from 10 per cent to 15 per cent per annum over the last seven years and has highest per capita income after Goa. The state has witnessed highest wheat productivity, highest per capita milk production and overall rise in social indices. He said that the leader of opposition Mr. Om Parkash Chautala and his INLD were known across the State for their parochial ideology, lack of vision, politics of revenge and aversion to development. The opposition to this progressive Act shows that they were at loss of any political agenda and the opposition to the amendment is the latest example of this anti-development tirade of INLD, he added.
While taking a dig at the opposition, Mr. Surjewala said that the Act was farmer friendly and was passed by the Parliament on March 17, 1999 during the NDA regime to which the INLD was an important part on whose support that government was running. He categorically said that he had the copy of the proceedings of the day and it did not mention any opposition by any of the INLD Member of Parliament to the amendment of the Act. Not even one member of the INLD opposed or even spoke in the Parliament when the Urban Land Ceiling Act was being repealed, rather they voted in favour of the bill, he further added. He said that the fact that they did not oppose it in parliament but were sensationlising it in Haryana Vidhan Sabha expose their double faces.
Mr. Surjewala gave detailed facts regarding number of large scale units in the state, which would have to be shut down if the suggestion of Mr. Chautala was followed. He said that the state has Maruti Suzuki, Hero Honda, Honda, Asian Paints, Smithkline Beecham, Saraswati Sugar Mill and Adani Logistics and Dry Port Facility, which all have contributed to the growth story and development of the state. All these units need vast lands ranging upto 1500 acres, he added.
Mr. Surjewala said that the fact is that Mr. Chautala was not being able to digest the pace of overall speedy development in the State, and the fact that this pace of development has added to the pace of urbanization, which has really helped in creation of wealth for the land as an asset in the hands of farmers. He is not able to accept this empowerment of the farmers, he added.