Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Balbir Sidhu alleges AAP's Land Pooling Policy designed to benefit builders, not farmers
Babushahi Bureau
SAS Nagar (Punjab), June 11, 2025: Former Punjab Health Minister and senior Congress leader Balbir Singh Sidhu has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s newly announced land pooling policy is nothing short of a betrayal of Punjab’s farmers, accusing the Bhagwant Mann-led administration of favoring real estate developers at the expense of small landowners.
Addressing a press conference, Sidhu alleged that the revised policy is anti-farmer, builder-friendly, and represents a systematic attempt to transfer land from the poor into the hands of corporate interests.
“This policy is a well-crafted scheme to loot small landowners and reward private builders,” Sidhu alleged, warning that the changes will disproportionately affect farmers owning between 1 to 3 kanals of land.
According to Sidhu, under the previous policy, landowners received 200 sq. yds. per kanal (in either residential or mixed-use allocation), but the new policy reduces this to only 150 sq. yds., allegedly depriving landowners of around ₹30 lakh per kanal, based on GMADA’s market ratesThe alleged loss multiplies for those holding multiple kanals, he said.
Sidhu further alleged a major disparity in land return ratios—claiming that while farmers are being offered only 33% of their land in return, private developers stand to gain up to 60%. “Where is the justice in that? Is this the pro-farmer governance AAP promised?” he asked.
Another allegation raised was the requirement of land registry before any payment or letter of intent. “Why should the registry happen before even receiving a payment? What if the government defaults? Farmers will be left helpless,” Sidhu alleged.
Slamming the clause that only landowners with 50 acres or more can develop projects, Sidhu alleged that this condition has been custom-built for wealthy corporations that have already hoarded land.
“No average farmer owns 50 acres in urban zones. This clause has nothing to do with the common man and everything to do with enabling land mafias,” he claimed.
He also alleged that no public consultation was held with farmers before finalizing the policy, suggesting it was drafted “in closed-door meetings catering to corporate lobbies.”
Sidhu warned that the policy is headed for legal entanglements, and once challenged in court, thousands of landowners could face indefinite delays in both compensation and the ability to sell their land.
“This policy is not just flawed—it’s legally vulnerable and morally indefensible,” Sidhu alleged, adding that the Congress Party will stand firmly with Punjab’s farmers in resisting it.
He demanded the immediate rollback of the new policy and restoration of the earlier framework. If the government fails to act, he warned of mass protests and legal action across the state.