Venkaiah seeks all parties' support for passage of key bills

Observing that the NDA government believes in taking the nation forward in an atmosphere of shared understanding, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today appealed to all parties to enable passage of the Land Bill and other development-oriented legislation.
"We believe in taking the nation forward in an atmosphere of national rapprochement, political negotiation and shared understanding. Rajya Sabha has passed the much-delayed Insurance Bill, a major reform bill.
"The proposed Land Bill is equally important to lift the farmers and rural areas to a new level of sharing the fruits of development. I appeal to all parties to enable taking forward this legislation and other progressive, development- oriented legislation," the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

He was speaking at a meeting here tonight in connection with the MLC elections.
The land ordinance had originated from the states and flowed out of their concern over the negative impact of the Act of 2013, he said.
Alleging that BJP's political rivals are engaging in a disinformation campaign, Naidu said, "They have been working overtime to market fiction instead of examining facts."

Noting that several states wanted changes to the Land Act of 2013, he said the NDA government came out with the land ordinance in the larger interest of farmers and rural people and to facilitate economic development.

"The states have clearly said that land acquisition under the Land Act of 2013 is next to impossible and wanted changes. States ruled by different parties have said this in no uncertain terms. Some Congress Chief Ministers had themselves opposed the draft act in writing to the UPA government. But the UPA government had gone ahead without addressing these concerns and made the Act in 2013," he said.
But the BJP-led NDA government came forward with nine amendments to its initial proposal to take the legislation forward, Naidu said.
"This is some degree of compromise, but we did so in the larger interest of the country than getting stuck-up and making it an ego issue," he said.