The Modi government's proposed land bill is coming back in the reckoning after being in cold storage for more than a year. The parliamentary joint panel reviewing the legislation will meet on May 22 to debate its social impact assessment, a bone of contention between the government and the Opposition.
"It is very much on the agenda. The goverment has never decided to withdraw the bill despite the fierce criticism against it," said a member of the joint committee on the land bill.
In the UPA-era land law, evry aquisition, regardless of size, would go through a social impact assessment. The assessment was aimed to determine the possible impact and benefits of the acquisition not just on land owners but other people living nearby. The assessment forms the basis for compensation.
After coming to power, the NDA offered exemptions to five types of projects from this social impact assessment and virtually took away the farmer's right of refusal to sell land for government projects.
This will be the second meeting of the land panel, headed now by BJP MP Ganesh Singh, this year Ironically, both meetings happened after the UP elections which the BJP swept and made Yogi Adityanath the CM.
"It is very much on the agenda. The goverment has never decided to withdraw the bill despite the fierce criticism against it," said a member of the joint committee on the land bill.
In the UPA-era land law, evry aquisition, regardless of size, would go through a social impact assessment. The assessment was aimed to determine the possible impact and benefits of the acquisition not just on land owners but other people living nearby. The assessment forms the basis for compensation.
After coming to power, the NDA offered exemptions to five types of projects from this social impact assessment and virtually took away the farmer's right of refusal to sell land for government projects.
This will be the second meeting of the land panel, headed now by BJP MP Ganesh Singh, this year Ironically, both meetings happened after the UP elections which the BJP swept and made Yogi Adityanath the CM.
In 2016, only two meetings were held in the entire year in a clear indication that the political leadership was not in a hurry to debate the contentious bill.
The panel has now started seeking comments from states on specific provisions of the social impact assessment.Earlier, many states identified this assessment as the single biggest roadblock to faster acquisition.
The panel has called the Congress-ruled Karnataka government and Delhi Development Authority, controlled by the Centre, to depose on the issue.
The UPA-era law was drastically altered in December 2014, followed by two subsequent ordinances in 2015, But as the Bihar election approached, Modi said in his Mann ki Baat address that the government would not push any more ordinances on the bill.
The UPA's land act was seen by critics as heavily loaded in favour of farmers while the NDA's proposed amendments were touted as pro-big business on which the BJP failed to convince even its own allies and affiliated organisations such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and the Bharatiya Mazdoor sangh.
Hindustan Times New Delhi, 08th May 2017
The panel has called the Congress-ruled Karnataka government and Delhi Development Authority, controlled by the Centre, to depose on the issue.
The UPA-era law was drastically altered in December 2014, followed by two subsequent ordinances in 2015, But as the Bihar election approached, Modi said in his Mann ki Baat address that the government would not push any more ordinances on the bill.
The UPA's land act was seen by critics as heavily loaded in favour of farmers while the NDA's proposed amendments were touted as pro-big business on which the BJP failed to convince even its own allies and affiliated organisations such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and the Bharatiya Mazdoor sangh.
Hindustan Times New Delhi, 08th May 2017
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