WB govt for amendment in Land Acquisition Act

KOLKATA: The Central Land Acquisition Act should be amended to make it mandatory to provide rehabilitation along with compensation to those whose land would be acquired, West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said on Wednesday.

"The Act was amended twice earlier and I had written to the Centre for undertaking another amendment to incorporate the clause of mandatory rehabilitation along with compensation in case of land acquisition," Sen told the assembly while speaking on a non-official motion moved by Congress Legislature party leader Manas Bhuniya and others.

Stating that many private industries were coming to West Bengal to set up units, he said in case of such an amendment, it would be easier for the state government to ask them to offer compensation and rehabilitation.

The minister said the state government also had a responsibility and could not neglect those whose land was acquired.

He urged opposition parties to sit for a dialogue to formulate a compensation policy.

"The government has its concern. Through discussion we have to find out how to involve land losers in the industries built on their land," he said.