Govt mulls amending Land Acquisition Act
Encouraged by the amber sign flashed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on SEZs, the rural development ministry was making the case for the Centre to have a say in the matter by getting around the fact of land being a state subject.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Encouraged by the amber sign flashed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on SEZs, the rural development ministry was making the case for the Centre to have a say in the matter by getting around the fact of land being a state subject.
The ministry is examining whether the Land Acquisition Act can be amended to include a provision that would make it mandatory for the beneficiaries to develop wasteland in exchange for allocation of farm land.
Talking to TOI, rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh confirmed that such a plan was under consideration. “The area of wasteland to be reclaimed could be determined on lines of the ‘green principle’ whereby certain number of trees have to be planted for every tree cut.”
While taking into account the fear that the reclamation rider could add to the cost of SEZs and discourage investors, Singh asserted, “Our bottomline is that agricultural land should not shrink.’’
Before Sonia echoed the concern for farmers, protests against diversion of land had gained momentum with former prime minister V P Singh taking cudgels against the Mulayam Singh government in UP. On Monday, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav also came out strongly against the policy.
The ministry is examining whether the Land Acquisition Act can be amended to include a provision that would make it mandatory for the beneficiaries to develop wasteland in exchange for allocation of farm land.
Talking to TOI, rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh confirmed that such a plan was under consideration. “The area of wasteland to be reclaimed could be determined on lines of the ‘green principle’ whereby certain number of trees have to be planted for every tree cut.”
While taking into account the fear that the reclamation rider could add to the cost of SEZs and discourage investors, Singh asserted, “Our bottomline is that agricultural land should not shrink.’’
Before Sonia echoed the concern for farmers, protests against diversion of land had gained momentum with former prime minister V P Singh taking cudgels against the Mulayam Singh government in UP. On Monday, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav also came out strongly against the policy.
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