Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao asserted that the State government has proposed to introduce The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana Amendment) Act of 2013 to remedy the injustice done to Telangana in the last six decades.
The Act has been amended incorporating several clauses that were aimed at ensuring speedy acquisition of land required for major infrastructure work, including the irrigation projects. The government proposed the amendment after it was found that the existing Act of 2013 had turned out to be a major obstacle in land acquisition for the projects, one of which was on the top of the TRS government’s agenda, he told the Legislative Council here of Thursday. The Congress members, however, staged a walkout from the House claiming that the ruling party was stifling the voice of the opposition.
Mr. Harish Rao said the State government had incorporated certain clauses in the similar Act passed by the Gujarat Assembly as also the salient features of the ordinance introduced in the Parliament by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to amend the Land Acquisition Act. The Congress members were, however, approaching the courts and even the National Green Tribunal as they were determined to stall the projects which were key to accelerated growth in the new State. He asserted that the proposed Act was aimed at acquiring land with the consent of the land owners after offering them a huge compensation while the provision of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 were invoked based on the choice of the farmers. Several States had enacted similar legislations and they were upheld by the courts. The government had passed the legislation with retrospective effect to ensure that there were no legal complications and this was done within the powers provided to the State under Article 254 of the Constitution.
“We have passed a legislation relating to marketing department with retrospective effect and the High Court as well as the Supreme Court upheld it,” he said, quoting a judgement of the Supreme Court. Replying to queries, he said 60,000 acres has been acquired so far of which over 45,000 acres was acquired through GO 123 and the balance through the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The Act, he said, was not intended for private industry, special economic zones or private individuals and the Government had decided to provide lump sum amount to the project displaced families giving them liberty in relocating themselves.
He refuted the Congress’ charge that farmers were being served notices to vacate their land. BJP member N. Ramachandra Rao said his party was not against the projects and it wanted clarifications relating to the rehabilitation and resettlement aspect of the new Act.
