Supreme Court supports Mayawati on land acquisition policy

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday defended Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on her land acquisition policy for developmental projects along the Yamuna Expressway connecting New Delhi with Agra.

Dismissing petition filed by some farmers, the apex court reportedly said that the land was not acquired for private use, but for developmental works to benefit public.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court also upheld Maya on her land acquisition policy.

On Aug 19, the Uttar Pradesh government increased the quantum of compensation to farmers to Rs 580 per sq metre for the land it has acquired from them for project.

The additional compensation of Rs 121 per sq meter will be given to the farmers of affected villages in Agra in form of a special relief, said Cabinet secretary Shanhank Shekhar Singh.

With this, “compensation to farmers will be Rs 580 per square metre”, he maintained.

The farmers had been agitating for past three weeks at villages along the Expressway demanding “adequate” compensation.