Will Land Acquisition Bill give relief to Sriperumbudur land owners?

NEW DELHI:  A consensus on the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011 was achieved on Thursday at an all-party meeting which enhances compensation for farmers. 

The government accepted key demands of the BJP regarding leasing of land and compensation reaching the original farmer-owners, and that of the left regarding rights of tenants.  

The Government has also agreed that individual States can pass legislation regarding leasing of land and limits of acquisition. 

Back home, thousands of farmers and land owners across Sriperumbudur near Chennai are the happier lot as they expect the statement government amend the law in favour of landowners after passing of the Bill by the Union Cabinet in the coming Parliament session.

They are looking for relief from the Bill as the SIPCOT notification to acquire land for industry and Greenfield airport has put them in tight spot not able to develop or sell their land for more than ten years now.

The BJP wanted 50 per cent compensation to the original farmers whose land has been purchased after the introduction of the Bill in Lok Sabha in September of 2011. Raising the issue in the meeting of parties, Ms. Swaraj said the “land mafia” was on a land-purchase spree in many parts of the country after the introduction of the Bill, anticipating that the measure will be passed soon and they can reap the benefits.

If that happens, the farmers who have sold land at a lesser price will not benefit from the Land Acquisition Act, she said and asked the government to have a provision specifying that there will be sharing of half the benefits with the original farmers. The meeting also agreed to CPI(M)’s demand that a provision of the Bill that gives powers to the government to amend the schedule should not be misused to dilute the compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement package. 

The government countered criticism that the bill's provisions make land acquisition more time consuming while pushing up costs, but all major political parties seemed to have shelved their reservations in view of the "pro-farmer" orientation given to the proposed law.

Parliamentary minister Kamal Nath made no bones of the government's intent, telling the meeting that opposing the bill will amount to being "anti-farmer" and said the bill will be brought to Parliament for passage soon after both Houses reconvene on Monday.

BJP, regional outfits like JD(U) and BJD as well as UPA's key outside supporter Samajwadi Party, agreed to support the land bill, putting the Centre in a position to clinch the issue after six years of failure that saw the legislation go through four versions and vetting by a parliamentary standing committee twice.