According to DIPP, New act makes buying land virtually impossible
DIPP secretary Amitabh Kant stressed on the need for amending the Act, by giving justification as under the existing Land Acquisition Act, it had become “virtually impossible” to acquire land for construction of roads, ports and creating other infrastructure.
He added, ever since the new Land Acquisition Act came into being, Land acquisition for roads, ports and similar other economic activities has not been happening. On account of act, a number of road and port projects are stuck up and there is an urgent need to fast-track road and port projects, which will be practical when the necessary changes are made to it.
From January 1, 2014, the new Land Acquisition Act to provide just and fair compensation to farmers came into force. During the Monsoon Session of Parliament the new law which was passed, received assent of the President on September 27, 2013.
As the archaic act of 1894 suffered from various failures counting silence on the issue of resettlement and analysis of those displaced by acquisition of land, the bill was brought. The consent of 80% of people whose land is taken for private projects is compulsory to be taken as per the act. The bill makes mandatory obtaining consent of 70% of the people whose land will be for acquired, In the case of Public-Private Partnership projects.
Anil Swarup, Additional secretary in Cabinet Secretariat alleged that the projects monitoring group has cleared projects with approximate investments worth Rs 5.3 lakh crore and they are 152 in number and remaining many such other projects are in the pipeline for final clearances. Furthermore, he declared that an online application of mega industrial projects for according environment clearances has been accepted by the forest ministry from July 1, 2014.
Source: Times of India
Amitabh Kant, Anil Swarup, DIPP, DIPP secretary, Environment clearances, Farmers, Land Acquisition Act, Mega industrial projects, Monsoon Session of Parliament, ports, President, Public-Private Partnership projects, Roads
