Land Acquisition Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha passed the long-awaited Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill which seeks to replace the archaic land acquisition law dating back to 1894.  The government cleared the air on the reservations from some States against some provisions in the bill by informing that the Bill only ideates for fair compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement in the case of land acquisition and State Governments were free to improve upon it and enforce it as per their specific needs.

What are the key features of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2012?

♦ The Bill aims at providing fair compensation to those whose land is taken away, brings transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factories or buildings and assures rehabilitation of those affected. This legislation has been eagerly sought by both industry and those who live off the land.

♦ The law promises compensation to owners of up to four times the market value of land in rural areas and two times the value in urban parts. It also proposes rehabilitation and resettlement of people displaced by property purchases.

♦ Under the new legislation, acquisitions can only go ahead if at least 80 percent of families affected by private projects agree, or 70 percent for projects with public-private partnerships.