New Land Acquisition Act to be implemented next year: Ramesh

The new Land Acquisition Act would be implemented either from January 1 or April 1, followed by the implementation of the National Food Security Act to fulfil people's aspiration, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today said.

Ramesh said that the government was now formulating rules to implement the Land Acquisition Act which would be followed by official notification.

After that the government would take up full-fledged implementation of the National Food Security Act, Ramesh told a press meet at the WBPCC Headquarters here.

Despite opposition by the Trinamool Congress, both the Bills were passed in the two Houses of Parliament and received the Presidential assent, he said.

Describing as 'unfortunate', the opposition to these Bills by the Trinamool Congress, which was earlier a major ally of the UPA government, Ramesh said that he discussed at least two times with the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the new Land Acquisition Bill, besides rounds of discussion with her party leaders.

"We incorporated at least three suggestions by the TMC chief in the new Land Acquisition Bill," Ramesh said.

The suggestions related to if the acquired land was not used within five years it would go back to the land owner or land bank, share-croppers or bargadars would also get compensation and multi-crop land could be acquired only when there is no other option.

Ramesh said that the Singur and Nandigram issues were an eye-opener for the government and played the catalyst for bringing in the new Land Acquisition Act which was named as "The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.