<p>"I know there are different views on the proposed Land Acquisition Bill. Many people welcomed it while many criticised. Through a process of debate, we will arrive at a national consensus on the legislation," Jairam told a press conference here today.<br /><br />"This is a sensitive Bill in which rehabilitation and resettlement (of the displaced) is also a part. It is sensitive to farmers and compensates not only farmers but also the landless and whose livelihoods are lost," he said.<br /><br />Under the proposed legislation, land acquisition process would not be completed till the rehabilitation and resettlement package is fully implemented. "Land acquisition has become the single biggest issue in state after state. As many as 50 million people have been displaced because of land acquisition in the country in the last 60 years. Of these, two-thirds were tribals. They have been displaced not once but subjected to multiple displacement," the minister noted.<br /><br />This has been one of the main contributors to the growth of naxalism in central India, he said. "We must address issues of tribal communities more sensitively. Land acquisition, mining, industry, infrastructure...unless we are sensitive to these issues, we will not be getting a grip on what the emerging phenomenon is," Jairam observed.<br /><br />Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, Jairam said the 'structure of power relations' in rural India was changing because of NREGP.<br /><br />"The NREGP has created three impacts: agricultural wage rates have gone up, which is a positive sign as rural poverty will come down; distress migration is down distinctly and community assets are being created. There is also a 10-20 per cent increase in cultivable area due to NREGP in both agriculture and horticulture," Jairam pointed out.<br /><br />Andhra Pradesh, he said, was showing the way to other states in respect of social audit in NREGP. "I am happy with the social audit system in AP but not in other states," the Minister said in reply to a question.<br /><br />He said the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has agreed to appoint a Principal Accountant General for exclusively auditing rural development programmes. "Since we are spending a staggering Rs 90,000 crore annually on rural development programmes – the second largest budgetary expenditure after defence – there is need for an exclusive auditing," Jairam added.</p>
<p>"I know there are different views on the proposed Land Acquisition Bill. Many people welcomed it while many criticised. Through a process of debate, we will arrive at a national consensus on the legislation," Jairam told a press conference here today.<br /><br />"This is a sensitive Bill in which rehabilitation and resettlement (of the displaced) is also a part. It is sensitive to farmers and compensates not only farmers but also the landless and whose livelihoods are lost," he said.<br /><br />Under the proposed legislation, land acquisition process would not be completed till the rehabilitation and resettlement package is fully implemented. "Land acquisition has become the single biggest issue in state after state. As many as 50 million people have been displaced because of land acquisition in the country in the last 60 years. Of these, two-thirds were tribals. They have been displaced not once but subjected to multiple displacement," the minister noted.<br /><br />This has been one of the main contributors to the growth of naxalism in central India, he said. "We must address issues of tribal communities more sensitively. Land acquisition, mining, industry, infrastructure...unless we are sensitive to these issues, we will not be getting a grip on what the emerging phenomenon is," Jairam observed.<br /><br />Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, Jairam said the 'structure of power relations' in rural India was changing because of NREGP.<br /><br />"The NREGP has created three impacts: agricultural wage rates have gone up, which is a positive sign as rural poverty will come down; distress migration is down distinctly and community assets are being created. There is also a 10-20 per cent increase in cultivable area due to NREGP in both agriculture and horticulture," Jairam pointed out.<br /><br />Andhra Pradesh, he said, was showing the way to other states in respect of social audit in NREGP. "I am happy with the social audit system in AP but not in other states," the Minister said in reply to a question.<br /><br />He said the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has agreed to appoint a Principal Accountant General for exclusively auditing rural development programmes. "Since we are spending a staggering Rs 90,000 crore annually on rural development programmes – the second largest budgetary expenditure after defence – there is need for an exclusive auditing," Jairam added.</p>