The Land Acquisition Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday. 216 members voted in favour and 19 against the Bill which seeks to provide just and fair compensation to farmers while ensuring that no land can be acquired forcibly.
Left parties,AIADMK and BJD members staged a walkout while Trinamool Congress voted against the Bill. The main Opposition BJP, Samajwadi Party and BSP supported the Bill. 381 amendments were moved, of which 166 were official. Of the amendments moved by the Opposition, some were withdrawn and other defeated during the voting.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2012, stipulates mandatory consent of at least 70 per cent for acquiring land for Public-Private Partnership projects and 80 per cent for acquiring land for private companies.
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that there is no provision of forcible land acquisition in the Bill. Replying to a debate on the Bill in the Lok Sabha yesterday, he said, the Bill has fixed the rights of the land losers.
The Minister said that under the provisions of the Bill, a land Appellate Authority will be set up to redress the grievances of the farmers if they do not get adequate compensation for acquiring their lands. Farmers will also have the rights to move to High Courts if they are not satisfied with the judgement of the Appellate Authority. Mr. Ramesh said no multi-crop agricultural land will be acquired and if it is needed the concerned State governments will take the decision in this regard.
Leader of the House in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj expressed satisfaction at the passage of the Bill.
Our correspondent reports that the Singur and Nandigram movements against forceful land acquisition found their echo in the Lok Sabha during discussions on the Land Acquisition Bill. Members cutting across party lines advocated adequate safeguards for the land losers to maintain their livelihood.
Under the provisions of the bill, land losers will get compensation upto four times the market value in rural areas and two times in urban areas. The bill has also the special provisions to safeguard multi-crop, irrigated land from being acquired.
Besides adequate compensation to land losers it will ensure participation of affected people in the development process. After passing the National Food Security Bill, the Lok Sabha adopted another landmark legislation, replacing the 119 year old antiquated land acquisition law.
Initiating the discussion, BJP's Rajnath Singh said, no land should be acquired without the consent of the farmers.
Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party advocated the conservation of farmers’ agricultural land. He said, only infertile and barren land should be acquired.
Sudip Bandyopadhyay of Trinamool Congress said, his party is opposed to forceful acquisition of land. He said, in case of acquisition of land for private purpose, the deal should be between the company and the land owner.
The Bill will now go to the Rajya Sabha.
