Mangaluru : The district unit of the BJP will take up the cause of rights of farmers to “Kumki” land, which are lands adjacent to farm lands. It will start with an awareness programme in Puttur on February 6 in which many State-level BJP leaders will participate.

“Kumki” land refers to those plots situated adjacent to the agricultural land or fields of the farmers.

“Kumki” land is used for cattle grazing and to grow grass for cattle. The shrubs grown on “Kumki” land is also used as fertilisers in the fields.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said the Congress had in 2013 promised in the manifesto that they will hand over rights of Kumki land to farmers. Mr. Kateel said the Jagadish Shettar-led BJP government had framed an ordinance granting rights of kumki land to farmers.

The BJP had hopes of passage of this ordinance by the Congress government. Mr. Kateel said the Revenue Minister Sreenivas Prasad recently filed an affidavit before the High Court stating that the State government will not hand over rights of Kumki land to farmers.

A few weeks ago, the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim has said the district administration will be taking back kumki lands that are not used by farmers.

Mr. Kateel said “Kumki” rights were recognized and granted by the then British government of India to the farmers in the district of South Canara (later renamed as Dakshina Kannada, from which Udupi district was carved out in 1997) in 1881. In 1929 the government prescribed land revenue over the extent of Kumki land used by the farmer.

He said the party was not taking up the issue of Kumki land for political advantage for zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections.