Maharashtra Cabinet wants to tweak Land Acquisition Act

Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday passed the amendment of section 19 of the Maharashtra state highway Land Acquisition Act 1894.

This move will help the affected farmers to get the four times higher compensations while surrendering their land for road widening project.

According to the senior government officials, they have been using old act to acquire the land adjoining to state highway, while the national highway authority and state government was using updated land acquisition act 2013.

Instead of 1894 land acquisition act, the 2013 land acquisition act will be used from now. "Therefore, we have propesed for amendment in the British era land acquisition act for state highways. This amendment in act cannot be immediately approved during the state assembly sessions, therefore the cabinet has decided to issue the ordinance. It will help us to get the acquired the land more quickly and farmers whose land is adjoining to state highways will be happy to surrender their lands with adequate compensations. It is win win situation for both farmers and the government," said state PWD on anonymity.