The Supreme Court today cautioned the government against promoting industrialisation and economic growth at the cost of farmers, pointing out that a large section of the country's population was still dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. “Although urbanisation and industrialisation is taking place, the industry has not developed sufficiently and a large part of our population is still required to depend on agriculture. Lands are, therefore, required to be retained for agricultural purposes," a Bench comprising Justices HL Gokhale and J Chelameswar said in a judgment in a case from Gujarat. In the 87-page verdict, the SC indicted Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel, viewed as second only to the CM, for allotting 2,00,000 sq yd agriculture land in Kutch district to a private company, Alumina Refinery Ltd, after over-ruling secretaries' opinion and farmers' concern without giving any reason and directing the Collector to act in a particular manner. "Ministers are not expected to act in this manner and therefore this particular route through the corridors of the ministry, contrary to the statute, cannot be approved. The present case is clearly one of dereliction of duty by the Collector and dictation by the Minister, showing nothing but arrogance of power," the Bench held. “She (the minister) has simply brushed aside the objections of the secretaries merely because the CM’s Secretary had written a letter, and because she was the minister concerned,” the SC noted.