'Cong govts sold more gauchar land'

The state BJP on Saturday claimed that Congress government in the state had sold more gauchar (grazing) land than Narendra Modi government. It said the Congress was wrongly blaming the Modi government for decreasing grazing and agricultural land by giving it to industrial houses.

BJP’s national vice-president, Parshottam Rupala, said according to available government documents the Congress government had sold highest number of grazing and barren lands during its tenure to industries during 1985 to 1995. The documents proves that 94 per cent grazing and barren lands were sold from 1985 to 1990 while the figure for the next five years is 32 per cent.

Rupala added that grazing land decreased to 8,45,700 hectare in 1990 from 8,48,300 hectare in 1980. On the other hand, the Modi government sold 8,52,400 hectare land during its 11 years in power.

Also, he said agricultural land decreased to 92,95,200 hectare in 1990 from 95,76,500 hectare in 1980. The Congress had allocated land to industries in the name of development by snatching it from farmers, he alleged.

During Modi’s tenure, agricultural land increased to 145 lakh hectare from 108 hectare. He added that agricultural output was 44.38 lakh ton in 2001 and it registered a record increase to 1 crore ton in 2011.