Punjab prepares to oppose land Bill amendments in joint panel

Members of joint parliamentary committee seek clear definitions to phrases such as national security, affordable housing

The Punjab government might oppose some of the amendments to the 2013 Land Act.

The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government, in its submissions to the joint parliamentary committee on the land Bill, would demand retaining the consent clause and the provision relating to social impact assessment.

According to sources, the Punjab government might suggest that there be no acquisition without the consent of a majority of the farmers or landowners whose land is to be acquired. It would also seek social impact assessment to continue to include all those dependent on the land. The Punjab government would also present to the committee the "more humane" land acquisition policy it pursues in the state.

The Narendra Modi government's amendments included doing away with the consent clause and social impact assessment.

The joint committee of Parliament on Monday held its second meeting. Chairman S S Ahluwalia informed the committee he had sought permission of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to write to chief secretaries to seek the views of the state governments on the proposed amendments. The Opposition members demanded the government clearly define phrases such as national security and affordable housing. Members argued that ambiguity could lead to misuse of provisions.

Industrial corridors, public-private partnership projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and national security-related projects were exempted from consent clause in the ordinance re-promulgated recently. Members said the state governments should also be asked for their views on the definition of these categories as land acquisition would mainly be undertaken by the states.

The Congress members asked the government to explain why the phrase "private company" was changed to "private entity", as the latter term widened the scope of its meaning. The five Congress members on the committee met for an hour to discuss their strategy before the joint committee meeting started.

Congress chief ministers have been summoned to the Capital on Tuesday so that the party can formulate its political stance on the Bill.

Members requested that the last date to submit suggestions be extended, which was agreed. The last date - it was Monday (June 8) earlier - was extended to June 15. The committee also decided to first hear the views of members of the public, farmers' organisations and other stakeholders and then meet think tanks and officials.

A Congress member of Parliament (MP) suggested that the committee should also hear Rashtriya Swayam-sevak Sangh affiliates such as Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch. The two outfits are opposed to some of the amendments.

Opposition members also flagged how BJP MPs were speaking in different voices on the proposed amendments.

Of the 300 memoranda received by the panel, 75 have been circulated to members. The CPI(M) and Congress MPs criticised the government for re-promulgating the land ordinance, which they said demeaned the relevance of the committee. The next meeting of the committee is on Tuesday.