|
Now, Indian govt plans to amend
land acquisition law
WSN Network
NEW DELHI: Rather
late in the day, the Indian government is now contemplating amending
the land acquisition law to ensure adequate compensation, both
monetary and psychological, to people whose lands are acquired.
The government
also said no agricultural and irrigated land should be taken for
Special Economic Zones.
"We are
contemplating incorporating certain issues in the existing law. It
is before the Standing Committee and soon Parliament will discuss
it," Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said at a seminar on "Relief
and Rehabilitation of Displaced Persons" organised by National Human
Rights Commission.
"When a person
is not ready to sell his land and it is acquired through the law, he
has to be compensated financially as well as psychologically.
Besides, land for land is also acceptable," he said.
The Land
Acquisition Act, 1894 enables governments to acquire land for public
purposes as well as for companies registered under the Companies
Act.
Following
protests in Nandigram and other SEZs, it was proposed that the law
should be suitably amended so that the government can acquire land
for public purposes. The only time the government can step in is,
when a company has acquired 70 per cent of the required land and
then seeks state's help to take over the rest. "Land which are good
for agriculture should not be acquired for SEZs as far as possible.
No irrigated land should be acquired and only barren land should be
taken for SEZs," Patil said.
26
March 2008
|
Read Also