After the passage of the Food Security Bill, the United Progressive Alliance government is now bracing up to introduce the landmark Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011 in Parliament on Thursday. The government is keen to get the Bill, which amends the legal regime for land acquisition in the country, passed during the current session of Parliament, to reap the benefits in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for mid next year.
The Union Cabinet has approved some major changes in Bill and incorporating suggestions made by the opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left Front. The controversial Bill seeks to provide a fair compensation and rehabilitation to land owners in both rural and urban areas for land acquired for developmental projects. It was introduced in Lok Sabha on September 7, 2011, and tabled in the budget session.
However, the government could not push it through.
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Amongst the amendments approved by the Cabinet was the one suggested by Sushma Swaraj, that instead of acquisition, the land could be leased to developers to ensure ownership remains with the farmers.