Amendments in the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 in dark waters
There has been a lot of negativity around the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013. The Narendra Modi-led NDA Government may face stiff resistance in amending this act. Most of the BJP-ruled States demanded the repealing of the Act at a recent meeting of Revenue Ministers. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in two minds about amending the Act in a hurried manner and has sought details of the proposed amendments from the Centre.
According to the Sangh, the present law is farmer-friendly. RSS feels that it will be better if the Government stops sale of land taken from farmers. It should only be leased to industries and the Government should ensure revenue from this land goes to farmers. This way the farmers’ interest will be protected as after their lands are taken away, their source of income will reduce.
And they are afraid that the real estate mafia will be making huge profits by taking over the land of closed down factories. The process now is that agricultural land is turning into industrial land, and industrial land is becoming service land.
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, the farmers unit of the RSS, has also urged the Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari to provide the details of the amendments. Kisan Sangh’s organising secretary Dinesh Kulkarni mentioned that the Kisan Sangh will take a final view on the issue only after looking at the proposed amendments.
Source- The Hindu Business Line
Agricultural land, land acquisition, Narendra Modi, present law is farmer-friendly, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013, RSS, Rural Development minister Nitin Gadkari
