[IE]
After Food Security Bill, the pathbreaking Land Acquisition Bill that
aims to give a fair deal to farmers for their land for industrial use
was passed by the Lok Sabha tonight giving a push to Sonia Gandhi's
another pet project ahead of General Elections.
The key land legislation of the UPA championed by Rahul Gandhi was
approved by an overwhelming majority after an acrimonious debate.
The Bill, which seeks to provide just and fair compensation to
farmers while also ensuring that no land cann be aquired forcibly, will
replace the archaic Act of 1894,
"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 (PPP) projects and 80 per cent for acquiring land
for private companies.
Both the Food Security Bill, that was passed on Monday, and the
Land Acqusition Bill, will now have to be passed by the Rajya Sabha.
The bill proposes compensation that is up to four times the
market value in rural areas and two times the market value in urban
areas. It was passed with 216 votes in favour and 19 against.
Left parties, AIADMK and BJD members staged a walkout. Trinamool
Congress voted against the bill while main Opposition BJP as also SP and
BSP supported the legislation.
"There will be no forceful acquisition of land under this law.
This legislation will provide lawful right of the farmers over their
land and no right of forceful acquisition to government," Rural
Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said while winding up the day-long
discussion on the Bill.
Asserting that the new law will address "historical injustice",
the minister said this law is being enacted under the Concurrent list
and the states can bring their own law on the subject without derogating
from the central law.
Sonia and Home Minister and Leader of the House Sushilkumar
Shinde, apparently unwell, did not participate in the voting as they
left when amendments were being moved. The National Advisory
Council(NAC) headed by the Congress President had given a vigorous push
for the land bill.
India Inc has expressed fears that the land reforms could push up
property purchase costs making industrial projects financially unviable
while the Food Security Bill will have a deleterious effect on public
finances.
381 amendments were moved to the bill, of which 166 were official
ones. Of the Opposition amendments, some were withdrawn and others
defeated during voting.
