The group of ministers (GoM) that is reviewing the draft land acquisition Bill is veering towards tough conditions to acquire land for public purposes.
Originally, the Bill had proposed that consent by 80% of affected persons would be necessary to acquire land. After concerns were expressed that this would make it very difficult to acquire land, this number was reduced to 67%.
As reported in today by Mint, the GoM, is veering towards the 80% figure once again.
This is bound to make acquisition of land for industrialization and other vital infrastructure projects very hard. It is important that the Union cabinet consider this matter very carefully before it proceeds further. If it does proceed with the 80% figure, clearly the decision will be influenced more by political considerations than the economic interests of the country. This is not just about small farmers but also the interests of all Indians.
