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Farmers organisations have strongly opposed the new Land Acquisition Bill passed by the Telangana Assembly on Wednesday. In the new bill, the TRS government tried to tweak the Central Land Acquisition Act 2013 after facing stiff opposition in acquiring land for several irrigation projects.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana Amend) Act 2016 wrests the right to acquire land for public good and in the “national interest”. This Act brings in amendments to the Central Act passed during the UPA regime to remove certain provisions that, the government feels, obstructing its developmental plans.
It brings in Chapter III-A in the principal act, giving the State government power to acquire land for projects of national importance, infrastructure projects (electrification and irrigation), affordable housing and housing for the poor, industrial corridors and for infrastructure projects taken up by the government and through public-private partnerships.
Taking part in the debate, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao alleged that the 2013 Act came in the way of developmental works. He said he had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who advised him to take a cue from some States that brought out their own Acts.
“It is not possible to take up developmental projects without taking land. We have a right to amend the Act. The Opposition parties have been trying to put spokes in our plans to take up irrigation projects,” he said, referring to the Mallannasagar project.
He claimed that the GO No. 123, introduced by the government, offered better compensation that what the 2013 Act proposed. But the Opposition ensured that some farmers didn’t get it.
No social impact study
S Malla Reddy, Vice-President of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), said the Act did away the requirement of social impact study as provisioned by the 2013 Act. “Also, the Act gives powers to Collectors to award (the compensation) if they are satisfied that persons agreed to compensation as per the State rules,” he said.
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