In its bid to garner support for the land acquisition bill, Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, M Venkaiah Naidu has said that “The new norms for land acquisition being proposed by the Government will be 'pro-farmer''. He further said that “I appeal to all parties to enable taking forward this legislation. Let there be a national debate on advantages and disadvantages of the new land acquisition Bill and the old Bill of the then UPA Govt.”
Naidu said that nine amendments were already made in the bill during the course of discussion in Lok Sabha and if the states had any objections in implementing the new legislation, they can stick to the previous Act. He further stated that under the new legislation, farmers whose lands will be acquired will get four times compensation. They will be made part of the developmental process by providing job to a member of a family.
The minister has sought cooperation of all in regard to bills on land acquisition, GST and black money, which are the next items for the second part of the Budget session. The Government, which had issued an ordinance in this regard in December 2014, now wants to get the Bill passed by Parliament. Though, the minister has also stated that the Centre would reissue the ordinance pertaining to the land acquisition Bill if it lapses next month. The Bill would lapse on April, 6, 2015, if the main opposition Congress continue to oppose the Bill in the Rajya Sabha.