'Reverse consent' to be part of three-point formula for land Bill compromise

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is mulling a three-point compromise formula to reach out to the opponents of the government's contentious amendments to the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. Those who have opposed the amendments range from nearly all the opposition parties to ally the Shiromani Akali Dal as well as the Sangh Parivar-affiliated outfits.

The government's land Bill is currently with a joint committee of Parliament, which is to give its report when Parliament's monsoon session begins on July 21. The BJP has also formed an internal committee of the party to study the Bill. The committee had earlier suggested the government bring about nine amendments to its Bill, which the government did.

But the opposition, as well as Sangh Parivar outfits have continued to object to deletion of the consent clause and social impact assessment from the 2013 Act. While the government deleted the consent clause totally, Sangh Parivar outfits such as the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Mazdoor Sangh do not want the "consent clause" to be diluted below 51 per cent of all who are affected by any acquisition.

THE COMPROMISE

• Reverse consent
   
• District-level authority to address concerns on social impact assessment
   
• National land-use policy, land banks at district levels

The BJP believes even getting approval of 51 per cent, from the original 70 per cent in the 2013 Act, of affected stakeholders will be a tall task. It is set to propose a concept of "reverse consent". This would mean views will be sought regarding not how many of the affected people approve of land acquisition but how many don't approve of it. Under "reverse consent", land acquisition will be cancelled if 30 per cent of the affected people say no to the acquisition.

BJP national executive member Gopal Agarwal, a key member of its land Bill committee, says the government was open to discussion, debate and suggestions on the Bill. "But if the opposition does not cooperate at all, then our government has no option but to continue with the ordinance," he said.

As for addressing the concerns on social impact assessment or SIA, Agarwal said this can be done at the time of framing of the rules and regulations of the Act, particularly about the role and composition of the grievance redressal authority at the district level. "Rules and regulations will clarify and address concerns about the identification of the project affected families (as part of SIA), the composition of the members of the authority and assessment by it regarding minimal land requirement for any project," Agarwal said.

The government is also working on a national land use policy, which will incorporate the concerns of farmers. "A land bank can be formed at the district level and the land-use policy can be transparently framed to resolve all land-related issues, incorporating tribal rights, forest rights, acquisition of irrigated land and change of land use, etc," he said.

This compromise formula is unlikely to change the views of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Left parties on the land Bill but could go a long way in convincing Sangh affiliates to support the Bill.