NAC suggests 6 times land value to owners for acquisition
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) on Wednesday finalised its recommendations on the proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. If the government agrees to the suggestions and the Parliament passes them, the land owners would be entitled to get six times the registered value of their land as
compensation in lieu of land acquired for public purposes.
The NAC has put forward its suggestions as part of National Development, Acquisition, Displacement and Rehabilitation Bill, which it has drafted dealing with the controversial issue of land acquisition.
Moreover, at its meeting here on Wednesday, which was chaired by Mrs Gandhi, the NAC members agreed to combine together the twin-issue of land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement. The advisory panel, therefore, has suggested a single bill and named it National Development, Acquisition, Displacement and Rehabilitation Bill.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting NAC member Aruna Roy said, “All land transfers for public purpose must come under the purview of this law.”
Further elaborating on the suggestions to be furnished to the government, another member, Harsh Mander, who is also the convenor of the NAC’s working group on land acquisition and resettlement and rehabilitation, said, “According to our recommendations the government would require to give farmers six times the registered value of their land as compensation.”
Mr Mander said, there was consensus in the meeting on inclusion of persons working on the land into the category of project affected persons, which would make them eligible for receiving compensation. “This would recognise the most invisible persons in the land acquisition process who lose their source of livelihood once the land is acquired,” Mr Mander added. The NAC recommendations also include giving farmers the right to annuity for a certain number of years over and above the compensation for the land acquired from him.
Recommending monthly payouts instead of present system of annual payouts, the NAC has sought to make consent of farmers a must for land acquisition for projects by the private sector.
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