Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday joined the debate on land acquisition for industrial use in the midst of controversies over Singur and Nandigram projects in West Bengal, saying the 'sacred' tie between tiller and the land should be respected.
"There is a sacred tie between the tiller and land. That tie can never be broken. Any attempt to snap the relationship between the tiller and the land is bound to face opposition," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas function in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on Monday said that the government would finalise in three months, a new policy for rehabilitation in the context of land acquisition for industrial use which will be more progressive, humane and conducive to the long term welfare of all stakeholders.
Chidambaram said while respecting the sacred tie between the tiller and the land, some instruments must be employed in agriculture as were employed in industry and services to bring about a dramatic change in the growth rate in agriculture.
The same instruments -- investment and knowledge -- have to be applied to modernise agriculture, he said.
Large sums of money must be put into irrigation, restoring agricultural infrastructure, recharging ground water, water harvesting, new fertilisers, new harvesting technology and new post-harvesting technologies, he said.
There is huge opportunity for private enterprises in agriculture, he said.
