All party meet called on Land Bill

Many demand the Bill be sent back to the Standing Committee

The Government will have an all party meet on March 7 prior to a debate on the Land Acquisition Bill. Tabling of the Bill has been a cause for dispute between the Government and the Opposition parties, with many of them demanding that the Bill be sent back to another Standing Committee or to a Select Committee.

Their stand is that the 150 odd amendments carried out by the Rural Development Ministry in the Bill after the recommendations made by a Standing Committee went beyond what the panel said and has left the Bill totally different from the document that the panel had examined.

Hence, they demand another standing committee to examine it.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today said that an all party meet has been called. He said that parties have been assured that their suggestions for amendments would be considered for incorporation.