Bangalore: Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Y.S.V. Datta on Monday critised the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the Legislative Assembly for issuing land notification for acquiring 12,973 acres of land to eight companies, which participated in the Global Investors Meet in Belgaum, even though they had asked for only 2,570 acres.

Participating in the debate on budget estimates, Mr. Datta said none of the companies had started industrial activity. Since the notification had been made, farmers were finding it difficult to get loans under various schemes of the government.

Mr. Datta said the State government had acquired 1.71 lakh acres of land from farmers growing sugarcane, paddy, arecanut and other crops across the State, putting them to severe hardship. Replying to this, Minister for Small-scale industries Prakash Hukkeri said a Cabinet subcommittee on the issue had decided not to take possession of the lands if it was not necessary. Minister for Higher Education R.V. Deshpande added that the land audit committee would go into such issues.

Mr. Datta disagreed with the claim that the State government had allocated funds for irrigation projects, adding that they were getting funds from the Centre thanks to the tough decision taken by the then Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda with the International Monetary Fund.