Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja has called on the Karnataka government to retract a recent notification that strips farmers in Dakshina Kannada and other districts of their privilege to cultivate rubber, coffee, tea, pepper, and cardamom on government land.
Addressing reporters in Mangaluru on July 13, Mr. Poonja criticized the State Government’s March 2024 notification under Section 94(E) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. This notification mandates leasing government land, where farmers have been cultivating horticultural crops, for 30 years. Previously, under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, farmers were allowed to use this land, known locally as kumki, kana bana, and soppina betta, for cultivation.
Kumki land refers to plots adjacent to farmers’ agricultural lands, used for purposes such as grazing cattle and producing green manure. These lands have been integral to the livelihood of farmers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Under the new notification, the government plans to lease these lands to farmers at rates between ₹1,000 and ₹3,500 per acre per annum, with the requirement to pay the lease amount for 30 years upfront. Mr. Poonja argues that this move sacrifices farmers’ interests to generate revenue for the government’s implementation of its five guarantees.
He urged the State Government to withdraw the notification, stating it is detrimental to farmers’ interests across Karnataka. The BJP, he affirmed, will fight to restore farmers’ rights to cultivate on kumki, kana bana, and soppina betta lands.