NDA land bill is farmer-friendly, says Karandlaje

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje has said the amendment to Land Acquisition Bill will be used for acquiring land for government projects such as schools, hospitals, highways and defence related works which has been pending for several years.

Briefing reporters, on one-year achievement of the NDA-led government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday, she said the Land Acquisition Act 2013, brought in by the UPA government was anti-investment and not farmer friendly.

In fact, chief ministers from several states had written to the then Minister Jairam Ramesh opposing the Act.

On CAG report on crippling shortage of ammunition stocks in India, she said that the Standing Committee on Defence (she is one of the member) has taken up the issue seriously and has urged the Defence Minister to procure additional arms and ammunition.

A country should have ammunition stocks to fight a war for 40 days. However, in reality, India cannot fight a war beyond 15-20 days due to crippling shortages in its ammunition stocks. The supply of ammunition was delayed in the last few years purely on negligence of the previous government.

The MP said to ensure that the State government and centre works in coordination,  the share of States in the Centre’s net tax receipts has been increased to 42 per cent more than the previous financial year.