Question : Land Acquisition Act

(a) whether the Land Acquisition Act passed by the previous Government was objected to by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Road Transport with reference to the compensation to be paid to the land owners;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the provisions of the Act providing compensation to the land owners at four times the market value in the rural areas and two times the market value in the urban areas, will not hamper the growth of industrial, road transport and other infrastructure industries and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government will consider amending the law to provide only market compensation instead of applying multiplier value and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the total value of road projects held up due to delay in land acquisition and the steps being taken to speed up the projects without any further delay?

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (e) The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2013 received assent of the President on 26th September, 2013 as Act No.30 of 2013 and came into force on 01/01/2014. Due consultations were made with the concerned Ministries/Departments and their comments /concerns including of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Road Transport were considered while processing the official amendments to the Bill. The Act was enacted for facilitating land acquisition for development at large and at the same time meaningfully address the concerns of farmers and those whose livelihoods are dependent on the land being acquired. Compensation of four times the market value is the maximum limit in rural areas.
Further the land acquisition is undertaken by the Central and State Governments under various Central and State Acts, including the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013.
Land acquisition is concurrent subject and State Governments are also empowered to get the RFCTLARR Act amended with reference to its applicability in their respective states as per procedure in vogue. Presently there is no proposal under consideration at Central Government level to amend the said Act.
Details of the total value of road projects held up due to delay in land acquisition or its adverse impact on growth of industrial, road transport and other infrastructure industries are not centrally maintained by Ministry of Rural Development.
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