New Delhi:
Faced with stiff opposition, the Modi government is set to move at least half-a-dozen amendments to the Land Bill in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, including the one related to restricting land for industrial corridors and putting in place a hassle-free mechanism for grievance redressal.
"Government is willing to go in for amendment in the (land) bill in the larger interest of the community and the country," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in Lok Sabha while intervening in the debate on the bill to replace the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance.
His intervention came amid strong opposition to the bill even as Congress and some other parties demanded that it be referred to a parliamentary standing committee for thread bare scrutiny. Meanwhile, sources in the government said at least six official amendments will be moved tomorrow for which the Lok Sabha secretariat has already been approached.
Expressing the willingness of his government to considerthe 52 amendments moved by members, Naidu hoped that Rural Development Minister Birender Singh will look into the possibility of reducing the land for industrial corridors being planned to boost manufacturing sector in the country.
Naidu also suggested creating a "bank" of barren land for acquisition and said first such land should be used for setting up of industrial projects. The government has to ensure jobs for the members of the displaced families, he said, adding "there can also be a hassle-free grievance redressal mechanism" to address problems concerning rehabilitation. Sources said one of the official amendment could relateto restricting acquisition of land within one km of both sides of railway tracks and highways.
Another amendment could relate to doing away with moving the High Court for appeals against land acquisition. People can now approach authorities within the district first for redressal.
