Can't intervene in NOIDA land acquisition issue: Centre

The government today expressed concern over investors losing their money due to a court order that said land in Greater NOIDA should be returned to farmers as they had not got due compensation but maintained it could not intervene as land is a state subject.

"Land...is a state subject. We (central government) have no jurisdiction over it. There is obviously a problem...most of the scams are centered around land," Union minister Kapil Sibal said.

He, however, said the Centre can deal with corruption related to land and expressed hope that the proposed Lokpal Bill would be effective in dealing with it.

"Corruption is a central subject, so even if we can't deal with redistribution of land, we can deal with corruption over land. But here (in Greater NOIDA land case) it is for the government of UP to devise a solution which is fair, just and equitable," the telecom minister said.

Around 50,000 people who had invested in builder flats in NOIDA Extension - a part of Greater NOIDA - have been affected by a Allahabad high court order which said land should be returned to the farmers as the Uttar Pradesh government had not paid them adequate compensation.