Wednesday 4 September 2013

Right to compensation and transparency in Land Acquisition

The Right to compensation and transparency in Land Acquisition Bill 2013 has been passed in the Upper House(Rajya Sabha) today at 11 at night. This gives compensation for farmers and dependants on land. It gives compensation for those who would have lost their means of livelihood once their land is acquired. In scheduled areas, land can be acquired after consent from the 'gram sabha'. 70% of owners of land have to give consent for acquisition by  Public Private Partnership projects. And 80% of land owners have to consent for acquisition for public purposes. But is not "farming activity" for the benefit of the public, it provides food  for all. The urgency clause" has limited its area; that is, using this clause land can be acquired when there is a natural calamity or there is threat to national security. When good arable land of the farmer is acquired and dry arid land is given as compensation, the farmer will not benefit. Why are industries made in dry land instead. This bill would protect the individual from arbitrary acquisition. But it falls short of the fact that the farmer is not made a stakeholder in the factory made in his land. Here we have not seen the fact that land provides for this generation and his children and grandchildren a means of livelihood, how to compensate this security that land provides? Can we really rehabilitate the farmer or the land dependants? We are actually working against the people of India....the real people...the farmers. This is the transparent reality. What would their future be like for these people?
Since this bill was amended in the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) after passing in Lower House (Lok Sabha), it has to go back to the Lower House to be passed again. So there is still hope that truth will be heard.

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