Govt moves Land Acquisition Bill in Lok Sabha

The much-touted Land Acquisition Bill was taken
up in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, with UPA ally
Samajwadi Party expressing criticism, along with
opposition parties, over various provisions of the
legislation.
Parties including SP, BJP, BSP, CPI(M) and TMC
voiced concern over aspects like adequate
remuneration to farmers and the right of farmers
to appeal in the bill, which seeks to provide “fair
and just compensation” to land owners.
Why target fertile lands, asks Mulayam
Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav
questioned the need for acquiring land of farmers,
contending that the bill would “ruin” and
“devastate” farmers.
Participating in the debate on the ‘Land
Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill,
2012’, he asked, “What is there for farmers except
land?”
Mr. Yadav, whose party supports UPA government
from outside, asked why arable and fertile land is
being “targeted” for acquisition.
“When farmers sell land, they (most of the times)
do not get remunerative price,” he said, adding
that land should not be acquired unless there is
requirement, otherwise it would become
unproductive.
‘Grey areas’
Initiating the debate, BJP President Rajnath Singh
said there are lot of grey areas in the bill.
Despite the proposed bill, there are apprehensions
that forcible land acquisition would continue, he
added.
Mr. Singh said there should be provision for
leasing land in the bill. “Lease can happen only
when there is consent from the land owner,” he
added.
According to him, poor people have been ignored
in the bill.
“This is a comparatively better bill. But after
studying it in full, I feel the bill is far far away
from its objective... This bill is not meeting the
objectives it is meant for,” he said.
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh
moved the ‘Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency’ bill for consideration and passage
in the Lower House.
BSP member Surendra Singh Nagar said the
government is suddenly remembering the bill and
farmers since elections are round the corner.
Mr. Nagar also said fears about farmers opposing
land acquisition are “baseless.” “If they (farmers)
are given adequate compensation, they will never
stand in the way of industrialisation,” he said.
Streamline land records first: Meenakshi
Congress member Meenakshi Natrajan said the
government should streamline information about
land records across the country. Without having
proper land records, justice cannot be done, she
added.
Describing the bill as historic, Ms. Natrajan said
it would correct the historic wrong of land owners
not getting adequate compensation during land
acquisition.
Toothless bill: Lallan
Participating in the debate, Rajeev Ranjan Singh
“Lallan” (JD—U) said it was a “toothless bill” with
many loopholes which have not been plugged.
He demanded that the bill’s proposal fixing the
consent of farmers for acquiring land is 70 per
cent and 80 per cent respectively (in both cases)
of those whose land is sought to be acquired is
against the interest of farmers.
Mr. Lallan said that 100 per cent consent should
be made mandatory for acquiring land.
Accept standing committee’s recommendations:
Trinamool
Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), while appreciating
Mr. Ramesh for making lot of efforts in bringing
this legislation, said that total recommendations
of the standing committee on Rural Development,
which scrutinized the bill, should be accepted by
the Government. “Multi-crop land should never be
handed over to industry,” he said.
Mr. Bandyopadhyay said his party will support
the legislation if their demands are met.
More amendments needed: Acharia
Basudeb Acharia (CPI(M) also raised concerns
about the land bill, saying it should be referred
back to the standing committee as there is a
need for further amendments in the draft law.
According to Mr. Acharia, the bill does not provide
as to how much compensation the farmers will
get if his land is acquired.
“There is a need for further amendment in the bill
otherwise this will serve the purpose of the
corporates. It is not in the interest of the
farmers,” Acharia said, “I had moved 160
amendments in the bill. But the minister has
accepted only six. This indicates that there is no
consensus on the bill.”
Compensate allied labourers too: BJD
BJD member Tathagata Satpathy sought
compensation and rehabilitation of people living
in areas to be acquired other than land owners
like barbers who are affected due to land
acquisition.
He also pointed out that the compensation under
the land acquisition law is not tax free and this is
an unnecessary burden on the farmers.
Intervening at this point, Ramesh said, “We will
bring an amendment in this regard. All payments
(under this law) will be income tax free.”
He also suggested that the industry or corporates
should use one third of the acquired land for
water harvesting system and this should be made
mandatory under this law.
He also suggested that the agriculture land and
inhibited land should not be acquired under this
law.
Similar concerns were also raised by the Shiv
Sena member P G Jadhav who also demanded
better compensation for farmers.
Lalu Prasad (RJD) said the Bill should be enacted
for the benefit of farmers and the interference of
the government should be limited.
“Private parties are coming to make business and
profit. So the interest of farmers should be
safeguarded,” he said, adding farmers should
directly negotiate with the industry for the price to
be paid for the land.
He also said government interference should come
only when an individual comes in the way of the
contract.
What about Wakf land?
Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) wanted to know how
the bill would be used for acquiring Wakf land. He
alleged that the government in Andhra Pradesh
has illegally acquired several acres of Wakf land in
Hyderabad.
Others who participated in the debate include
Supriya Sule (NCP), M Thambidurai (AIADMK),
Nama Nageswara Rao (TDP), TKS Elangovan
(DMK), Prabodh Panda (CPI), Hukmdev Narayan
Yadav (BJP), Sharifuddin Shariq (NC