The Land Pooling Scheme introduced by the Punjab Government in 2013 was once hailed as a visionary step towards urban development that would ensure a win-win situation for both the government and the farmers. However, a decade later, the situation on the ground paints a dismal picture of broken promises, bureaucratic negligence, and the systematic exploitation of farmers’ rights.
The recent case of farmers from Hoshiarpur village in New Chandigarh is a reflection of the wider crisis surrounding land pooling in Punjab. These farmers willingly surrendered their land to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada), lured by promises of residential plots, commercial sites, and a stake in the urban expansion of their own land. Gmada acquired 96 acres of land under the land pooling scheme, assuring farmers that they would be development partners. Yet, after more than ten years, the farmers are still waiting for the promised plots that were supposed to secure their future.
What is most alarming is that while Gmada and other authorities continue to expand urban projects, the rightful owners of the land are left with nothing but verbal assurances. The affected farmers have not been compensated for the years of delay, nor have they been provided any alternate income sources. This has resulted in severe financial strain, forcing many to live in debt while witnessing their ancestral lands being commercialised by private developers.
The essence of the land pooling policy was to provide farmers with a share in the urbanisation process and protect them from land acquisition exploitation. Unfortunately, the loopholes in the scheme are being manipulated by vested interests. The government agencies prioritise the interests of big real estate developers, sidelining the farmers who originally owned the land. This betrayal has pushed several farming families into economic hardship and mental trauma.
Adding to their woes, farmers are compelled to engage in lengthy and expensive legal battles in their quest for justice. The prolonged litigation processes have only deepened their financial troubles, as they struggle to fund these legal fights while managing their daily livelihoods. For many, the dream of being stakeholders in urban growth has turned into a nightmare of endless waiting and mounting debts.
Political parties across the spectrum have used land pooling schemes as a vote-bank gimmick, making grand promises during election campaigns. However, once in power, their focus shifts away from addressing the grievances of the landowners. This negligence not only exposes the policy failures but also questions the ethical responsibilities of those in power.
The government must act decisively to rectify these injustices. First and foremost, immediate allotment of pending residential and commercial plots to affected farmers should be ensured. Compensation for financial losses due to the decade-long delay must be provided without further procedural red tape. A transparent monitoring mechanism needs to be established to prevent future exploitation, and the entire policy framework must be revisited to incorporate stronger legal protections for farmers.
Failure to address these demands could lead to large-scale protests and agitation by farmers and landowners, which would not only disrupt law and order but also damage the credibility of the government’s development narrative. Punjab’s progress cannot come at the cost of the dignity, livelihood, and rights of its farmers.
Until then, schemes like land pooling will continue to remain symbolic blueprints without brickwork—mere slogans devoid of ground reality.