Centre agrees to change land bill

Succumbs to pressure from allies, Oppn

Under pressure from allies and opposition alike, the government on Monday agreed to bring in “some amendments” in the proposed land bill.

The changes may include deletion of social infrastructure projects from the exempted categories and inclusion of a provision for mandatory employment of family members of those giving away their lands.

It, however, refused to accept the Opposition’s demand for sending the bill to a parliamentary standing committee, saying the legislation had to be passed before the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance.

“The government is willing to go for certain amendments which we feel are in the larger interest of the country and the community,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the members of the Lok Sabha, intervening in a discussion on the bill.

Listing the changes in the bill, he said the government could consider replacing the term “social infrastructure” with “general infrastructure for the general public of the country” to bring more clarity.

The minister underlined the need for bringing “a hassle-free” grievance redressal mechanism, saying, “We can go for a system wherein redressal of grievances happens at district headquarters level.” 

“We can limit the size of the land that is to be acquired for industrial corridors. The minister will take note of it,” he said, adding that a bank of waste land or barren land will be created. To meet any requirement, the land available with this bank will first be exhausted and then the government will look for other land,” he said.

“I can assure you that Narendra Modi’s government will not allow a single Act which will go against the farming community, the poor, women, weaker sections, suppressed, depressed and oppressed classes,” he added.

Seeking members’ suggestions, he also assured the House that the government will not use the provisions of the Act to benefit private players. “We will use it in public interest for the common man of the country.”

The minister’s intervention came amid stiff opposition to the bill. Even allies of the government, including the Shiv Sena, opposed some of its provisions.

Earlier, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the passage of the bill will jeopardise the lives of farmers. “This government is for the corporates, it is anti-poor, anti-farmers and will sell the country to industrialists,” Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee said, adding that his party will oppose the bill “tooth and nail”.

Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant suggested the government to retain provisions of social impact assessment in the bill. He also suggested the government to retain another provision under which consent of 80 per cent of the landowners was required for acquisition.

AIADMK member K N Ramachandran expressed reservations on provisions that seek to exempt land acquisition for private hospitals and private educational institutions. NCP’s Supriya Sule said the bill should be sent to a parliamentary committee.

“Withdraw, withhold and rethink. You are going to do unthinkable damage to the people of India,” BJD member Tathagat Sathpathy, said.

Meanwhile, NDA ministers held meeting with opposition parties in an effort to bring a consensus. However, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We do not want any changes in the 2013 Land bill brought by the UPA.”