Farmers want PCNTDA to give back 12.5% land

PUNE: Farmers who gave land to the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) in 1972 have demanded 12.5% land back.
More than a hundred youths and senior citizens along with the activists of the Yuva Shakti Pratishthan entered the PCNTDA building last week. They went to the terrace of the building and raised slogans demanding the portion of the land back.
The state had acquired land from farmers to form the PCNTDA in 1972. This land was used to develop sectors 23 to 28 where bungalows, housing complexes, shopping complexes and other buildings were built. The government again acquired land in 1984 but later returned 12.5% of the land to the affected farmers. The farmers, whose land was acquired in 1972, are now demanding similar benefit.
Speaking to TOI, Yogesh Mhase, chief executive officer of the PCNTDA, said, "The authority had first sent a proposal to the state government to return the land on August 1, 2001. Later revised proposals were sent on November 27, 2008, August 5, 2009, December 28, 2011 and July 17, 2014. The decision of the state government is still awaited."