(Image source from: Land Acquisition Bill clears all hurdles})

This is the second much awaited Bill that is taken by the Government as prestigious and in the interest of the general public and also, as opposition parties said, vote winners in the coming general elections.   The first one is Food Security Bill.

Land Acquisition Bill that was passed in Loksabha on 29th August was passed in Rajyasabha on Wednesday the September 4th 2013.

The bill aimed at doing justice to the land owners whose land is acquired by the Government to promote bigger projects and to increase transparency in the process of it.  

In order to promote industrialization under Government-private partnership, land has to be acquired at the suitable places in process of which land owners may be involved.  

The Government wants to ensure- 1) Fair compensation to the private owners when the land is acquired for public use and 2) Rehabilitation to the livelihood effected land owners.

Acquisition for public purpose includes for Defense projects, High Ways, Ports, Power projects, Irrigation projects, Education Institutions that will be run by the Government, for rehabilitation of natural calamities hit people, resettlement of the people affected by Government projects, Government-private partnership projects producing goods for the public and private projects that engage in the production of public goods or public services.

If the land is not used for five years for the purpose for which it is acquired the land should be given back to the original owners.  There are also rules laid out to ascertain the value of the land based on the registered sale deeds for three years and regarding the compensation to be paid four times to the ascertained value in case of rural and double in case of urban lands.

Other important points in the Land Acquisition Bill 2013:-

The bill also applies to cases where no land acquisition awards were made.  Land cannot be acquired from the Scheduled areas without obtaining permission from respective Gram Sabhas.  Possession of the land cannot be taken from any until and unless all payments are made and resettlement and rehabilitation plans are implemented.  Apart from the payment of land cost the owners of the lands should be compensated if their livelihood depends on those lands.  States are directed to safe guard Food Security plan by restricting agricultural lands from acquiring.  The compensations will not attract Income Tax and Stamp Duty.  In case the land acquired is sold to a third party for an appreciated price over 40%, the profit will be shared with the original owners of the land.

AW -SriJa