Changes to be made to 13 laws for land acquisition

Union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that within one year amendments will be made to 13 central government laws for the effective implementation of new land acquisition law which came into effect from January 1.

“From now onwards no land will be acquired or purchased on the basis of 1894 Act in which government was the sole decider and farmer did not have any say,” said Jairam Ramesh.

“Within a year amendments will be made to 13 central laws/act related to land acquisition.

Prominent among the laws to be amended are the Coal Bearing Areas acquisition and Development Act 1957, National Highway Act 1956 and Land Acquisition Mines Act 1985,” added Ramesh.

On the fate of the amendments if UPA government does not come to power after 2014 general elections, Jairam said, “Almost all political parties have consensus on the land acquisition bill because it is going to help the farmer. Parties including BJP, SP, BSP and of course Congress have praised the bill and accepted the need of amendments for an effective implementation of the act,” said Ramesh.

According to the law, the rules of the act will remain in gazette of India for 45 days and around February 15 or 16, these rules will get final nod. The act would not only provide four and two times compensation for land in rural and urban areas respectively, but also provide compensation as per new act for land acquired under old Act.