Social impact studies must for land acquisition

The National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011, proposes the conduct of Social Impact Assessment (SIA) before acquisition of land for any project.

This was revealed by Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh during his tour to the state. Talking to reporters at Berhampur, “The assessment will be done not by the concerned company or the government, but by the panchayat”, he observed.

He said, the government was trying to introduce the Bill in the current session of the parliament. “Suggestions have been invited from different circles including the state governments and we will incorporate the relevant opinions before giving it a final shape”, he said.

The minister also held discussion with several advocates and activists here on the bill.

Ramesh said, multi-crop land has been exempted from the land acquisition in the bill. It has suggested direct purchase of land by the companies from the land owners by paying double and six times of the market value of the land in urban and rural areas respectively.

“For the first time, the bill has proposed to provide livelihood support to the land losers and the affected persons in the land acquisition” the minister said. He said, the state governments are allowed to provide extra benefits over and above the provisions of the proposed Act. However, they cannot substrate anything provided in this Central Act.