Contentious Land Acquisition Bill may see the light of day

26 Sep 2012 Evaluate

Continuing UPA's reforms juggernaut, the controversial Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, too may see the light of the day, as EGoM meets on September 27. However, ahead of the first meeting of the Group of Ministers on the land bill, Rural Development Minister, Jairam Ramesh, casting its votes much in the favour of the proposed land bill, asserted that the bill besides balancing the needs of economic growth with concerns of the common man, would also ease the bottleneck caused by litigations to industrial and infrastructure projects.

The land bill, which comes in the wake of tough economic environment for UPA government, provide with an opportunity to showcase how it can give thrust to industrialization and economic growth while protecting the interests of landowners and those whose livelihood depends on the land.

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh, in a note for the meeting scheduled for Sept 27, has argued that the existing Land Acquisition Act, 1894 shows little consideration for those whose land is acquired. The current law has led to lengthy litigations resulting in unreasonable cost escalations. Further, government statistics reveal that 70 per cent of acquisitions are challenged in courts because of forced acquisition, absence of safeguards, appeals and rehabilitation and resettlement, indiscriminate invocation of the urgency clause and low rate of compensation.

Batting for the much contentious bill, Ramesh has also underscored on the thorny issue of state autonomy. As according to the bill, states will have autonomy to deal with key issues such as calculating compensation and acquiring multi-crop or irrigated land.

As per the note, although there will be no enhancement of the market value of the land acquired in urban areas , but the compensation to ameliorate hardship on account of acquisition of such lands will be raised to 100 per cent of the market value from 30 per cent earlier. But for rural land, the market value will be enhanced with a multiplier to calculate upon the compensation. The broad principle is that the multiplier will be lower for land in proximity to the urban centre.

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