Insisting the finalised draft of the Land Acquisition Bill has not been diluted, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said that in the draft bill, Rehabilitation and Resettlement will be applicable to private purchases also.
'What we are stipulating in this law is that there will be a R&R package for private purchase of land wherever private purchase of land for private parties is taking place. But the threshold beyond which it will apply is left to the state government,' informed Ramesh.
In the earlier proposal the R&R on private purchase was applicable to all acquisitions above 100 acres in rural areas and 50 acres in urban areas. 'West Bengal may say that any land beyond one acre will have R&R, Punjab may say any land more than thousand acres,that is entirely up to the state governments,' said the minister.
In the draft bill that has been cleared by the GoM, now only approval will be required from two third of land owners as opposed to 80 percent consent required from land owners as well as livelihood losers.
'What we are stipulating in this law is that there will be a R&R package for private purchase of land wherever private purchase of land for private parties is taking place. But the threshold beyond which it will apply is left to the state government,' informed Ramesh.
In the earlier proposal the R&R on private purchase was applicable to all acquisitions above 100 acres in rural areas and 50 acres in urban areas. 'West Bengal may say that any land beyond one acre will have R&R, Punjab may say any land more than thousand acres,that is entirely up to the state governments,' said the minister.
In the draft bill that has been cleared by the GoM, now only approval will be required from two third of land owners as opposed to 80 percent consent required from land owners as well as livelihood losers.