Three days after the approval of Food Security Bill, parliament is geared up to discuss the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill today. A bill that has become almost obsolete and powerless will be worked out to ensure the safeguarding of common man from whom generally land is taken over without proper compensation and settlement, often leading to confrontations. In the cases that came forward, the government has acquired lands by paying meager amount to the farmers and handed over to business giants. Cases of corruption were also linked with the acquisition. Thus the need to improve the features in the bill including the right to fair compensation and transparency is highly hoped. The major clause that will protect the owners is the requirement of consent of 80 percent of the landowners for private and 70 percent for public-private collaborated projects. However in the wake of falling rupee, industrialists said the timing is incorrect and may worsen the stance of business.Major features of LARR Bill:
- Land Acquisition is permitted only for public purpose.
- 80% and 70% consent of landowners in private and public-private projects respectively.
- Compensation would be 4 times the market value in rural and twice in urban areas.
- In older acquisition cases if the payment of compensation is delayed for more than 5 years then fresh process will be initiated.
- Can’t remove the owners till full payment is made and resettlement site is organized.