In a bid to make land being acquired for residential purposes more cumbersome, the government is all set to incorporate application of rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) clause on acquisition of land of 50 acres and more in urban areas.
Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday told a delegation of farmers from UP that his ministry would unveil a reworked draft land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement bill 2011 in a day or two. However, he made it clear that the legislative proposal is very likely to be introduced in the Winter Session of the Parliament as the ministry would need another three-four months to complete the necessary exercise.
The minister told the farmers delegation from Greater Noida, Mathura and Banaras, which was brought by UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, that it was due to the efforts of the Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi only that a unified draft bill has been brought out in record time.
On persistent demand for an ordinance from farmers to stop all cases of land acquisition till the law is passed by the Parliament, Mr Ramesh said that he would apprise the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue. He said that ordinance route is an option for the government.
Empathising with farmers, who complained that their land were acquired for townships, Mr Ramesh said that the draft bill being reworked would make application of R&R package on 50 acres and more, along with social impact assessment clause, to be carried out by elected local body, which will also decide what is “public purpose”. He, however, told a farmer that even the size of 50 acre was more and he would see if it could be further brought down.
The minister was, however, taken aback when farmers sought employment compensation to each of the sons of the land owners. The farmers told the minister that in the joint family system in the rural areas though the family head owns the family he may have six sons each having family. Mr Ramesh conceded that the issues of a family unit and public purpose need to be further clarified.
Mr Ramesh also cautioned the farmers that there could be backlash over the land bill from the industry, which could build pressure on the government that it would hurt their competitiveness, and asked them to meet more ministers at the Centre to create a favourable environment for the upcoming law on land acquisition.
Though the farmers sought consent of 90 per cent of the farmers affected by land acquisition, the minister told them that the provision of a minimum 80 per cent consent has been made, which would apply on acquisition either by government or private group.