The Congress today asked its workers to keep a watch on effective implementation of the new Land Acquisition Act so that beneficiaries receive appropriate compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement as stipulated in it.
AICC spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das said, "After the new L.A. Act comes into force, its effective implementation in all states is most vital to provide the beneficiaries with appropriate compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement as per provisions in the Act."
Expressing hope that the new Act would be implemented in letter and spirit in all the states, Das, an MP from Odisha, cautioned the party workers to identify the land, specially in tribal areas, whose owners were not provided with rightful compensations, rehabilitation and resettlement.
"Tribals should be rehabilitated preferably in their own area and if that is not possible in any way and they are rehabilitated in other places, they should be given extra package," Das said.
Projects like Posco which faced stiff challenges from the farmers who were denied of their legitimate rights, would now be happy with the compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement offered to them under this Act, Das said.
"We hope threat to such projects will now be over with the farmers withdrawing their agitations," he said.
Das was speaking after his meeting with the office bearers and workers of West Bengal Congress at the WBPCC Headquarters here.
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh had earlier said that the new L.A. Act would either be implemented from January 1 or April 1, 2014 and the Centre was busy in formulating rules for its implementation.
