Consent, SIA return as NDA govt steps back on land bill

NEW DELHI: The joint committee of Parliament examining the land acquisition bill is close to achieving a unanimous report with the government dropping several amendments and restoring the politically contentious consent and social impact assessment (SIA) clauses.
As reported by TOI on July 31, the government agreed to reconsider several amendments, in effect restoring the provisions of the 2013 Act passed during the UPA tenure, marking a significant success for Congress and Trinamool Congress that have opposed the proposed changes tooth and nail.
The government’s decision was based on a pragmatic assessment that the NDA was being branded “anti-farmer” for attempting to dilute the consent clause of the land Act to allegedly favour industry.
The strong line-up against the NDA bill with Congress, Trinamool, NCP and even Shiv Sena joining hands also prompted a rethink in government despite the view that the 2013 Act’s complex provisions slowed land acquisition to a crawl, ensuring very few farmers actually benefitted from the enhanced compensation norms.

Amendments like introducing “private entity” in place of “private company” have been dropped with the entire clause being omitted, restoring the original Act. The five exemptions that NDA had sought to list under Chapter 3A of the Act have been done away with as well, in keeping with the Centre’s view that the specifics be left to the states.
The five exemptions are for national security, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, industrial corridors and infrastructure projects.
The deliberations of the joint committee are almost complete with the committee due to take up the final three of the 15 amendments proposed by the government on Tuesday. Trinamool walked out of Monday’s proceedings, protesting that the panel had been given insufficient time to study the latest government proposals.
With regard to penal provisions relating to officials, the new amendment does away with references to Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code. It is understood that the usual provisions of the CrPC will apply to central or state government employees who are charged with an offence under the Act.