Vijay Inder Singla

Ropar, March 18

To pacify the protesting farmers demanding higher compensation for their lands for two national highways Delhi-Amritsar-Katra and Jalandhar-Ajmer, the state government has tweaked the rules. This was stated by PWD and Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla here today.

Singla, who was here to list achievements of his government in the last four years, said the government had increased the multiplier factor for land acquisition following which there would be substantial increase in the compensation to farmers.

The NHAI would acquire land in 12 districts for the two projects. Farmers had refused to give their lands for the projects, citing lower compensation. He said in Punjab, the collector rates were lesser as compared to the market rate on demand of people so that they had to spend less on stamp duty at the time of the purchase of land. This was the reason for lesser compensation. Now, the compensation would be near double. — TNS