No consent needed for PPP projects
Modi government has been working on amendments to the Land Acquisition Act 2013
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-12-30 06:02 GMT
New Delhi: The government on Monday exempted land acquisition from the consent clause, if the land was acquired for affordable housing, industrial or infrastructural development, or for PPP projects, where land ownership remains with the state.
“Certain amendments have been made in the Act to further strengthen provisions to protect the interests of the ‘affected families’. Housing for the poor, including affordable housing, industrial corridors and infrastructure projects including projects taken up in PPP mode where ownership of the land continues to be vested with the government,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Monday on his official Twitter handle.
The Modi government has been working on amendments to the Land Acquisition Act 2013 but it could not introduce the Amend-ment Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament due to stiff resistance from the Opposition.
Briefing reporters, finance minister Arun Jaitley justified the changes, saying such projects are vital to national security. “If the land acquisition is for the five purposes, then the consent clause will be exempted,” Mr Jaitley said.
Mr Jaitely said that the compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement packages will be applicable as per the new law. Objecting to the ordinance, the Congress, the original author of the Bill, attacked the government, saying every word changed in the law will have to stand the scrutiny of Parliament in the Budget Session.
The JD(U) demanded the withdrawal of the ordinance, otherwise it would call a nationwide agitation by members of the Janata Parivar.