Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's announcement that his government would consider a resolution to the vexed land ownership issue in Sattari on priority is a positive move that will provide a welcome relief to those fighting for land rights. Should it materialize, it would be a landmark decision and a game-changer, leaving aside the political mileage it will yield to the powers that be.
The question however is, how serious is the CM on yielding to the demands of those fighting for land rights? Is this statement backed by resolute intent, or is it intended to temporarily cushion the blow caused during the anti-IIT agitation? The land rights issue has been ignored by successive governments for six decades, with leaders across the political spectrum showing reluctance to find a resolution. Sawant's public statement holds out a thin ray of hope, but the sincerity behind the move remains questionable especially when applications for Alvara land rights have been gathering dust since 2016.
The land ownership rights will be the biggest challenge to the Sawant government because of the layers of complexities involved, however, farmers and cultivators could see light at the end of the tunnel given Sawant's push for Swayampurna Goa. The State government is betting big on agriculture. Initiatives like the Krishi Card will provide a gateway to the farmer community to avail finance and subsidies, but the success of self-reliant Goa is heavily dependent on resolving land issues.
The chief minister in a recent virtual meeting with panchayats across the State took stock of the Swayampurna Goa initiative and assured Rs 50 lakh each to these local bodies to carry out people-centric initiatives. He also indicated that his March budget will be focussed on making the State self-reliant. These are encouraging steps in that direction, but farming remains the backbone of CM's mission, and which is why it cannot be ignored.
While the government sets in motion village-level plans involving the panchayats, it cannot lose sight of the land issues that are affecting thousands of farmers across the State, not just Sattari. A change of heart is always welcome, but there has to be confidence-building follow-up action by engaging affected farmers and land cultivators.
Call it winds of change, or simply a political outreach, the paradigm shift in approach towards the people of Sattari is visible, in sharp contrast to the oppressive style of functioning before the Sal-Melauli revolt. However, the soft corner shown towards the constituents of Sattari has been shrouded in doubt because, much after the government decided to pull out the IIT project, the hesitancy in withdrawing cases against people is as clear as daylight.
The people of Sattari have won one battle in giving the IIT project the boot, but there is no indication of how the government is going to go about the resolution of land issues. If the CM considers it to be a priority, it has to be treated like one.
