Truth vs Hype of the New Land Bill
The Modi government's Land Acquisition Bill is at a crucial juncture: its made it through the Lok Sabha, and now poised on a more challenging test in the Upper House. This week, we cut through the hyperbole that has marked the bill's political journey: were the amendments brought by the government to blunt criticism that the bill curtailed the rights of farmers substantial, or eyewash? How genuine were the consultations the ruling party with farmers groups? And more critically, will this bill end the crisis of land acquisition, and get the economy back on track, or was that claim exaggerated to begin with?
