New Delhi, March 10
Facing stiff opposition
over the land bill, the government has proposed nine amendments
including restricting acquisition of land within one km of both sides of
railway tracks and highways, providing employment to at least one
member of affected family and creating a bank of barren land, sources
said.
The sources said the government is keen on the bill passing
in the first half of budget session as it has to replace ordinance
brought in the inter-session period. Opposition members in Lok Sabha
have demanded that the bill should be sent to a standing committee.
The government faces a tougher task to get the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha, where it lacks a majority.
The
sources said the amendments to the bill are expected to be moved by
Rural Development Minister Birender Singh in the Lok Sabha while seeking
passage of the bill.
The proposed amendment relates to industrial corridors set up by the appropriate government and its undertakings.
They
said that the amendment states that land shall be acquired "up to one
kilometer on both sides of designated railway line or roads for such
industrial corridor".
They said that another amendment relates to
government ensuring before notification that land acquired would be the
minimum required for a project.
The government has also proposed
that appropriate government shall undertake a survey of its wasteland
including arid land and maintain a record containing details of such
land.
Sources said another amendment relates to incorporation of provision for employment to project-affected families.
They
said the government has proposed insertion of words "including
compulsory employment to at least one member of such affected family."
Sources
said an amendment relates to holding hearings in the district where
land acquisition takes place. They said the government has proposed that
the appropriate authority shall hold the hearing in the district where
the land acquisition takes place for settlement of objections.
They
said the government has also proposed to delete the provision which had
provided for prior sanction of the government for a court to take
cognizance of an offence under relevant section of Code of Criminal
Procedure.
The sources said that the government has proposed that
the original lines in the bill will be replaced with a provision that
"the court shall take cognizance of such offence provided the procedure
laid down in section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is followed."
The
government had last month introduced in the Lok Sabha The Right to Fair
Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
