Land Bill: Centre will take Mamata on board
After initiating discussion on the proposed Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, Union rural development minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Friday expressed confidence that the Central government would be able to take the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress on board on the issue. He reiterated that the Centre would be able to draft a “pro-farmer” land acquisition law.
The Trinamul Congress had been opposed to changes in land acquisition laws. Even RLD chief Ajit Singh, after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue, had expressed hope that Ms Banerjee would have a change of stand on the land acquisition law.
The Union urban development minister on Friday held consultations with few of the MPs and stakeholders who had earlier written to the ministry on the issue of the change in the land acquisition law.
Later speaking to reporters, the Union minister said on the sidelines of the GoM briefing on the BPL survey that his ministry would be talking to everyone on the issue. “We will talk to them (the Trinamul) also. I am already in the consultation process and even interacted with some stakeholders today,” Mr Deshmukh said when asked about the opposition of the Trinamul Congress, which is against the government acting as a facilitator in procuring land for business houses.
Ms Banerjee’s party has been opposing the twin bill on Land Acquisition (Amendment) and Relief and Rehabilitation. The party has already conveyed its opposition to the UPA leadership, including Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Mr Deshmukh also maintained that the suggestions of the National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, would also be looked into before finalising the draft bill. The NAC has suggested integration of relief measures with land acquisition initiatives in one of its discussion papers.
The Union minister has said that the deadline for the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill is fixed and it would be introduced in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The issue has now become the top priority of the Union rural development ministry after the issue hogged the limelight following the farmers’ unrest in Bhatta Parsaul village.
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