The decision to allot the government-owned land was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. (File photo)
In a major pro-farmer decision following the loss in Panchayat elections, the BJP government in Gujarat on Thursday said it would allot 6,000 acres of land to co-operative societies and agricultural produce committees at concessional rates for infrastructure.
The decision to allot the government-owned land worth Rs 5,667 crore was taken at Thursday's cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in Gandhinagar.
These societies and committees will get 10 to 30 acres of land each at 10 to 35 per cent of 'Jantri rates (rates specified by the state government), an official release said.
Godowns to store agricultural produce, pesticides, seeds and fertilisers etc., offices for milk co-operative societies, dairies and bulk milk coolers can be constructed on these lands.
Sources said the BJP's poor performance in the district and taluka panchayat polls too was discussed at the meeting.
Of the 31 district panchayats, the Congress won 21 while the BJP won only six. In 2010, the BJP had won 30 district panchayats.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Panchayat and Rural development minister Jayanti Kavadia admitted that results, announced on Wednesday, were disappointing.
"The results of district and taluka panchayats were not as per our expectations....we will do introspection about how that happened. We will double our efforts to make sure that everyone gets benefits of development," Mr Kavadia said.
Asked what was his own analysis, he said panchayat elections are "more or less" individual-centric. "Candidates become more important than party's image or work done in the area. Issues are different in each village. Perhaps we might have failed to communicate the true picture to the rural voters," Mr Kavadia said.