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The Government today managed a broad all-party consensus on the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011. The Bill will be considered in the second half of the Budget session of Parliament scheduled to start on Monday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left parties agreed to the Government’s view that all amendments and suggestions be taken up and debated in Parliament, rather than sending the Bill again to the Standing Committee.
The BJP and the Left parties have been demanding that since the Government had brought in 180 amendments to the Bill, it should ideally go to the Rural Development Standing Committee or a joint select committee. The parties had also wanted more time to study the Bill.
The consensus that Parliament can discuss the crucial Bill was reached at an all-party meet, the second in a week.
After the 90-minute meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told newspersons that the Government and the Opposition have reached a broad consensus on the Land Acquisition Bill. Sushma Swaraj claimed that the Government has agreed to her suggestion that 50 per cent of the compensation should be given to the original farmer. She said the Government is also willing to accept the suggestion that the land could be leased to developers so that its ownership will remain with the farmers, who will get a regular annual income.
The Government is also learnt to have agreed to move an official amendment to provide for an enabling provision that States can enact a similar legislation as land is a State subject.
Left, DMK unhappy
The Left parties alleged that the BJP and the Congress connived to topple a proper discussion on the Land Acquisition Bill. “ …We will move several amendments to the Bill when it is taken up for discussion,” CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia told Business Line . DMK leader T.R. Baalu said the Bill is against the federal structure of the Constitution.
Trinamool Congress leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandhopadhay told PTI in Kolkata that there should not be any Government role in acquiring land for private parties.
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