Noida: Three-member committee soon to soon submit report on farmers’ demands

The committee was formed after months long protests by farmers from Noida and the Greater Noida demanding 64.7% hiked land compensation, better rehabilitation facilities, jobs for their children and better health-care, among other benefits

The state government’s three-member committee,which was formed to look into the demands made by the farmers of Noida and Greater Noida, is expected to sent its report to the state government soon, officials in the know of the matter said on Wednesday.

Their demands for compensation and jobs yet to materialise, farmers of villages in Greater Noida and Noida held widespread protests earlier this year and also threatened to march to New Delhi. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Archive)

It will be based on the report that the state government will decide on the farmers’ demand for more land for rehabilitation purposes, 64.7% hiked compensation and other benefits.

The committee, headed by Uttar Pradesh revenue board chairman, was formed on February 21, 2024, following months long protests by farmers from Noida and the Greater Noida demanding 64.7% hiked land compensation, better rehabilitation facilities for their families, permission to use residential plots for commercial purposes, jobs for their children and better health-care, among other benefits.

On Wednesday, Meerut division commissioner Selva Kumari, Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Maneesh Kumar Verma and officials of Noida and Greater Noida discussed the farmers’ demands in great detail in a meeting held in Sector 6.

“We looked into all issues related to the compensation. The chairman will finalise the report that will be sent to the state government,” said Lokesh M, chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

The officials discussed how much land the Noida and Greater Noida authorities will be needing for residential use if they have to allot 10% (of total land acquired from each farmer) for residential use of each farmer.

Also, Noida and the Greater Noida authorities have to figure out how much financial burden they will incur if the state decide to give 64.7% hiked compensation to all farmers.

So far, the Noida authority has given 5% and Greater Noida 6% of the total land acquired to each farmer for residential use. But farmers have been demanding 10% since the past many years.

“The committee has a mandate to submit its report in three months,” said a government official, asking not to be named.