Kolkata:
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday to explain the finer points of the Draft Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill. Ms Banerjee, who had strongly opposed the previous versions of the Bill in the past, now seems in agreement with Jairam Ramesh.
"We discussed that we will not allow land to be acquired forcefully, it will be only through negotiation. We had opposed the previous Land Acquisition Bill. I haven't seen the entire draft of the new Bill, but whatever I have seen, the new bill looks positive," said Ms Banerjee.
"I told her that her concerns have been addressed. She hasn't read the draft, but broadly she appears to be in sympathy with it," said Mr Ramesh.
The meeting, held a day after the government made public the draft of the Land Acquisition Bill, was 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.
The current draft of the Bill allows state governments to acquire land for private projects - provided that 80 per cent 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.
The Bill was originally supposed to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament. However, it will have to wait till the winter session, as it will not be able to meet its deadline.
"We discussed that we will not allow land to be acquired forcefully, it will be only through negotiation. We had opposed the previous Land Acquisition Bill. I haven't seen the entire draft of the new Bill, but whatever I have seen, the new bill looks positive," said Ms Banerjee.
"I told her that her concerns have been addressed. She hasn't read the draft, but broadly she appears to be in sympathy with it," said Mr Ramesh.
The meeting, held a day after the government made public the draft of the Land Acquisition Bill, was 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.
The current draft of the Bill allows state governments to acquire land for private projects - provided that 80 per cent 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.
The Bill was originally supposed to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament. However, it will have to wait till the winter session, as it will not be able to meet its deadline.
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