Bhopal, Dec 16 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday announced the repeal of the land pooling scheme intended for developing permanent infrastructure for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028 in Ujjain.

In a notification issued late Tuesday night, the government also confirmed that the proposed urban development policy of the Ujjain Development Authority (UDA) has been completely cancelled.

The decision follows criticism from the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), which accused the state government of misleading farmers through a recent notification that sought to amend the scheme.

Farmer organisations had threatened a massive protest on December 26.

A few days back, the BKS, an RSS-backed farmers’ body, stated that during discussions with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and government representatives on November 17, it was agreed that the land pooling scheme would be repealed.

However, the organisation claimed the subsequent notification “complicated the matter.”

The scheme, introduced in 2024, aimed to develop the Simhastha area into a permanent Kumbh city with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.

Plans included building permanent infrastructure such as roads, ashrams for saints and akhadas, electricity networks, underground drainage systems, hospitals, and government facilities.

Until now, the state has relied on temporary infrastructure for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years in Ujjain.

The land pooling initiative was seen as an ambitious project by Yadav, an MLA from Ujjain, to transform the city into a major pilgrimage destination.

--IANS

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