Top bureaucrats from the ministry of rural development and department of land resources, ministry of defence, law ministry, corporate affairs ministry, ministry of housing and urban poverty, power ministry and tribal affairs ministry were asked to explain their position on the Bill.
After two meetings that saw little activity, the joint parliamentary committee on Land (Amendment) Bill, 2015, examined evidences of central ministries' and the discussion centered around the bill's contentious amendments and land availability across key ministries. Top bureaucrats from the ministry of rural development and department of land resources, ministry of defence, law ministry, corporate affairs ministry, ministry of housing and urban poverty, power ministry and tribal affairs ministry were asked to explain their position on the Bill.
According to sources privy to information majority of the officials, whom the committee had sent questions in advance, seemed unprepared for the discussion. Officials from the department of land resources were asked to explain how and why they decided to dilute the consent clause and do away social impact assessment. Along with it, the committee also examined the scope of the word 'private entity' in the Bill and questioned officials why was it not named as 'private company' to make it unambiguous. Opposition parties have alleged earlier that using the term 'private entity', the Centre is trying to hand over land to industry and corporate houses.
Another source said that most ministries did not back their arguments with data on land availability, which was a major point of discussion. While examining the evidence of defence ministry, members suggested that Centre should use existing available land with defence for their own projects and same should apply for railways, who also has one of the largest land banks in the country.
With the committee getting an extension till August 3, sources indicated that the work is likely to be incomplete in the monsoon session.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}