-RuralVoice.in Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of the Rs 30,000-crore Jewar international airport in Uttar Pradesh (UP) today, he made a subtle outreach to the farmers too in the wake of protests over the three central farm laws. Last week, Modi announced to repeal the contentious laws and on November 24, the Union Cabinet approved his proposal. A bill will be tabled in the winter session of Parliament...

-The Times of India JEWAR: There’s no storm blowing around Bhagwan Singh. Spread out on a charpoy in his spacious two-storey house, Singh’s manner mirrors the somnolence of this August afternoon. He is in no rush; not to talk, not to go anywhere. And certainly not to sell his land. Singh is headman of Rohi, the village that virtually holds the veto on land acquisition for the UP government’s prestige project —Jewar...

Farmers are caught between Mayawati’s promises, Rahul Gandhi’s idealism and mounting debts Land acquisition policy in Uttar Pradesh has been changed at least five times in the past five years to benefit the farmers. Amidst the raging controversies over what should be the land compensation rate and debates and protests over the various clauses of the land acquisition policy, most farmers have lost more than they could gain from Mayawati’s new...