Food for thought: A Chinese lesson that India must learn

The Uttar Pradesh government cannot be called insensitive when it comes to farmers.

But it could take a lesson from China in the manner it values farmland.

The agitation by farmers in Aligarh has prompted the state government to come out with a land acquisition policy that tries to take every wish of the farmer into account.

The farmers will get 25 per cent of the profits of private developers and an annual annuity of Rs 20,000 per acre for 33 years, just as in Haryana.

But it could have taught Haryana a thing or two if it had offered farmers Rs 20,000 per acre for continuing farming rather than offering this package to convince them to sell their land.

Image: A farmer in Chikmgalur, Karnataka feeds his cows with tomatoes following the drastic fall in tomato prices.

Text: Sreelatha Menon, Business Standard | AP Images (Any unauthorised reproduction is strictly prohibited)

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