Land bill: National Commission for Scheduled Tribes serves notice to Rajasthan

NEW DELHI: Even as the Narendra Modi government is trying to formulate a politically acceptable Land Acquisition Bill, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has asked all state governments to submit their land acquisition legislations to check if they have built in adequate safeguards for Scheduled Tribes.

The move comes after BJP-ruled Rajasthan government’s legislation irked the commission. NCST has served a notice to Rajasthan government for deviating from Centre’s Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 and not weaving in special safeguards for Scheduled Tribes.

NCST has said in its notice that Rajasthan government has flouted Article 338 A of the Constitution which lays down that all policy matters af fecting Scheduled Tribes should be sent to the state commissions and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for vetting.

When contacted, NCST chairman Rameshwar Oraon confirmed that a notice had been served to the government. “Though the legislation has been termed as business-friendly, it has not built in the safeguards for the most deprived sections of the society – Scheduled Tribes.

There are specific rehabilitation and resettlement clauses in the 2013 legislation which talk about land for land when a tribal is displaced. These have not been included in Rajasthan government’s Bill.” Oraon said after seeing the case of Rajasthan, he had asked all state governments to send their draft Bills and the existing Act to check if other states had also been following a similar practice.