Devanahalli: Govt. clarifies that permanent agri zone status will not affect farmers rights to sell their land

Close on the heels of declaring 1,777 acres of land in 13 villages of Devanahalli taluk as “Permanent Special Agricultural Zone”, after shelving the proposed acquisition of this land for an aerospace park, the government has clarified that declaring it as a zone will not affect farmers’ freedom to sell their land.

“Farmers retain full freedom to sell their land — there are no restrictions whatsoever,” clarified S. Selvakumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries. He urged farmers not to be misled by rumours, confusion or false narratives.

Dr. Selvakumar’s clarification comes in response to reports claiming that farmers’ rights to sell their land had been curtailed.

In a release, he said: “Farmers from these 13 villages expressed their desire to continue with agriculture. The government responded positively and honoured its commitment. Any claim that this decision causes hardship to farmers is untrue. Our intention is to prevent real-estate misuse of agricultural land and stop developers from exploiting farmers.”

He said: “Originally, this land near Devanahalli had been proposed to be acquired for establishing an aerospace park. However, considering the farmers’ request, the government has withdrawn the acquisition plan and reserved the area exclusively for agriculture. That said, if any farmer voluntarily wishes to sell their land to the government, they remain free to do so — and will be compensated based on the Land Price Determination Committee’s decision. However, there is no requirement that the land has to be sold only to the government.”

By designating the region, the government hopes to attract investment into agriculture as well, the official release stated.

Under this provision, farmers can benefit from high-yielding seed varieties, cold storage facilities, organic farming, modern agricultural technologies including hydroponics, improved soil and water management, direct market access, elimination of middlemen, remunerative prices, e-trading and digital marketplaces. They will also receive special tax exemptions for farms and agri-startups, faster approvals for agri-business projects, growth of agriculture-based industries, export opportunities, warehouse development, and local employment, the release said.

Similar special agricultural zones already exist in states like Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra.