New Land Law: Pro-Industry, Anti-Farmer?

The government had to take the ordinance route to pass the amended Land Acquisition Act, which, according to industry experts, is crucial to ensuring that India becomes a manufacturing hub. The activists have raised the red flag, criticising the government and castigating the amended provisions, particularly doing away with the "consent clause" in acquiring land for the purpose of defence, rural infrastructure, industrial corridors, housing for poor and for PPP (public-private partnership) projects, where land ownership rests with the government. On the other hand, industrialists have lauded the amendments saying that under the previous law, acquiring land was next to impossible. So, is the new Land Act pro-industry and anti-farmer? Will it lead to forcible acquisitions or will it lead to 'development' and usher in a new era of industrialisation in the country? We debate on The Big Fight.