No exemption to social infrastructure plans in Land Bill

New Delhi: The amendments in the Land Acquisition Bill included limiting the industrial corridor to 1 km on both sides of highways and railway lines, compulsory employment for one member of each affected family of farm labourers, hearing and redressal of grievances at the district level and acquisition of a bare minimum of land for projects.

The government also dropped the section providing for an exemption to “social infrastructure” projects, as MPs had claimed it would allow private individuals to get land in the name of colleges and hospitals. The Centre also left it to state governments to frame rules for social impact assessment of land to be acquired. It also addressed the issue of a five-year cap for the completion of a project on acquired land by adding a proviso that the said period would not include time wasted in litigation.

Mr Singh was at his combative best when he sought to tear apart the Congress’ claims that the government was anti-farmer. “You have thrown crumbs to farmers and kept them poor. Why cannot farmers get an opportunity to progress?” Mr Singh asked, citing instances of land acquisition in Haryana by the Congress government in the state. The minister said he was confident that the bill would sail through in the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition had moved 52 amendments, which were either negated or were not pressed for by the members. Swabhimani  Paksh member Raju Shetty had moved an amendment on the consent clause, terming its removal as anti-farmer.