Ball in the court of Joint Committee of Parliament: Birender

As Government weighs various options to wriggle out of the contentious land bill, Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today insisted the prime consideration behind bringing an Ordinance on it was to bring land acquisition under 13 other excluded central acts under the ambit of 2013 land law.
Singh, however, evaded direct answers when asked whether the government will, for the sake "continuity" or otherwise promulgate land ordinance for the record fourth time when it expires on August 31.
He said the government has to wait for recommendations of the Joint Committee of Parliament headed by BJP MP SS Ahluwalia in order to replace the Ordinance with a law passed by Parliament.

"The bill has been sent to the Joint Committee of Parliament and the Joint Committee at the fag end of the Monsoon session sought extension of time in a third row till the next session of Parliament. We have to wait for their recommendations," he said when asked what the options before the government on land bill now when the panel is yet to submit a report and the Ordinance is expiring on August 31.
When asked whether the government will allow Ordinance to lapse, Chaudhary said,"that is to be seen. The ball is in the court of the Joint Committee. The entire thing is totally now in their court.

"Had the committee brought its report, we were ready to accept the recommendations. Prime Minister has already said it was not a matter or prestige for the government," he said.

The minister's remarks come as the government is yet to announce its decision on land ordinance amid different views being expressed about its next move.
While there is a view that the government may not like to re-issue the ordinance for the fourth time and give further ammunition to Opposition to attack it on farmer front when elections are to be held in agrarian state Bihar soon.
The other view is that in order to maintain continuity of the law, the ordinance, which had brought under the land acquisition process under 13 other so far excluded central laws, has to be re-promulgated.

"It is beyond my understanding these thirteen acts were left out when 2013 land law was enacted. All these are central Acts and should have been brought under the ambit of the UPA land law then itself. Why it was not made applicable to them then.
"The prime consideration behind our bringing the Ordinance was to ensure the compensation package of the land Act is also applicable to farmers, whose land is acquired under the 13 other central Acts and that their interest must be protected. From January 1st till now our efforts have been in that direction," Chaudhary said.