Kolkata:
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh is meeting West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today. The meeting comes a day after the government made public the draft of the Land Acquisition Bill.
The meeting is being seen as an attempt by the government to woo Ms Banerjee. In the recent past, the West Bengal Chief Minister, has made it clear that she sees no role for the government on this issue.
At a high profile meeting of industrialists held recently in Kolkata, a Kolkata-based industrialist had asked the Chief Minister to help out in areas where land acquisition was proving tough. Ms Banerjee retorted bluntly to him that her government would play no role.
Her stance is at odds with the current draft of the bill which allows state governments to acquire land for private projects - provided that 80 percent of the affected people consent to the project.
The draft bill also states that those seeking rural areas for private projects will have to provide compensation at almost six times the cost of the land. For urban areas, the compensation is to be twice that of the current market rate. If the land is not used for five years, it will then have to be given back to the original owners.
Considering Ms Banerjee's opposition, the UPA government can expect a stormy session in Parliament. The good news for them is that the bill will not be able to meet its deadline. It had been promised that the bill would be introduced in the monoon session of Parliament next week. But now it will have to wait till the winter session.
The meeting is being seen as an attempt by the government to woo Ms Banerjee. In the recent past, the West Bengal Chief Minister, has made it clear that she sees no role for the government on this issue.
At a high profile meeting of industrialists held recently in Kolkata, a Kolkata-based industrialist had asked the Chief Minister to help out in areas where land acquisition was proving tough. Ms Banerjee retorted bluntly to him that her government would play no role.
Her stance is at odds with the current draft of the bill which allows state governments to acquire land for private projects - provided that 80 percent of the affected people consent to the project.
The draft bill also states that those seeking rural areas for private projects will have to provide compensation at almost six times the cost of the land. For urban areas, the compensation is to be twice that of the current market rate. If the land is not used for five years, it will then have to be given back to the original owners.
Considering Ms Banerjee's opposition, the UPA government can expect a stormy session in Parliament. The good news for them is that the bill will not be able to meet its deadline. It had been promised that the bill would be introduced in the monoon session of Parliament next week. But now it will have to wait till the winter session.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
