The Land bill on Tuesday passed the Lok Sabha test after the government moved nine amendments and persuaded most of its allies to support it. It will now go to the Rajya Sabha, where the numbers are loaded against the government.
In an attempt to placate the opposition and some unhappy allies, the government brought nine official amendments and added two clauses to the controversial legislation.
The Opposition had moved 52 amendments, which were either negated or were not pressed for by the members.
The official amendments moved included limiting the industrial corridor to 1 km on both sides of highways and railway lines and acquisition of bare minimum land for projects.
Provisions have been made for compulsory employment to one member of each family of farm labourers hit by acquisition of land. Hearing and redressal of grievances will be taken up at the district level.
The amendments also include dropping exemption from 80% consent of land owners to "social infrastructure" projects. There were fears that private individuals may use this clause to open colleges and hospitals which would actually be business models.
As opposition members moved amendments, Union minister Birendra Singh, who replied to the debate, rose to clarify that the social impact assessment of land to be acquired will be the prerogative of the state governments.
Assuaging the concerns of Haryana Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, he said multi-crop lands will not be acquired.
Responding to the removal of the clause on the five-year cap for the completion of a project on acquired land, he said at times court cases and litigations delay projects. Land will be returned to the farmer if the project is not completed, but the time consumed by court cases will not be counted, he said.
The amendments proposed by the government seek to do away with the perception that the land reforms are "anti-farmer". The government has incorporated changes suggested by other parties and Mr Singh further said the government was willing to factor in suggestions that were in the interest of farmers.
