Land acquisition bill may nibble at agriculture land
The Union cabinet’s approval of the Land Acquisition Act 2011, which has been pursued on the lines of the Maharashtra model, runs the risk of causing the shrinking of agriculture fields.
The Union cabinet’s approval of the Land Acquisition Act 2011, which has been pursued on the lines of the Maharashtra model, runs the risk of causing the shrinking of agriculture fields.
The biggest concern is that participation of the government to facilitate land acquisition for over 100 acres could be exploited by private players.
The Centre was under pressure from various state governments, including Maharashtra, to streamline the land acquisition as it received major setback in special economic zones (SEZs) following protest from farmers in Raigad district.
Although the Land Acquisition Relief and Rehabilitation Bill 2011 still requires two-thirds endorsement of both Houses of Parliament before its implementation, it has evoked sharp reactions, both within the state government and non-government organisations championing the cause of farmers.
A senior Congress minister on condition of anonymity told DNA, “Notwithstanding the good intentions to protect the right of the land owners in the bill, I fear the higher compensation package which has been made mandatory for land price would promote marginal and small farmers to sell off their land. This could be the beginning of a dangerous trend leading to the next generation shifting from agriculture to service sectors across rural Maharashtra.”
Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan said, “The land acquisition act is going to be detrimental to the interests of farmers in the cotton growing belt of Vidarbha.”
Ulka Mahajan of National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) added, “Resettlement and rehabilitation of the people displaced remains the biggest concern.”