Question : Assessment of Acquired Land

(a) whether the Government has made any assessment of the land acquired under the Central and State Government Acts which remains unutilized for a period of five years from the date of its acquisition;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) the details of such land returned to the owner or Land Bank during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise;
(d) whether the Government has acquired irrigated multi-cropped land across the country during the said period;
(e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the projects for which it is acquired State/UT-wise; and
(f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure proper utilization of acquired land within the stipulated time frame under the Central and State Government Acts?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)
(a) to (f): 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 Act, 2013, which came into force on 01st January 2014.
The provisions of the RFCTLARR Act 2013 are implemented by ‘appropriate Government’ as defined under Section 3(e) of the said Act.
Section 101 of the RFCTLARR Act provides as under:
“Return of unutilised land.– When any land acquired under this Act remains unutilised for a period of five years from the date of taking over the possession, the same shall be returned to the original owner or owners or their legal heirs, as the case may be, or to the Land Bank of the appropriate Government by reversion in the manner as may be prescribed by the appropriate Government.

Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, "Land Bank" means a governmental entity that focuses on the conversion of Government owned vacant, abandoned, unutilised acquired lands and tax-delinquent properties into productive use.”
As per provisions of Section 101, the information in respect of any land acquired under this Act which remains unutilised for a period of five years from the date of taking over the possession does not exist as on date.
Information on land acquired which remains unutilized / land returned to the owner or Land Bank / acquisition of irrigated multi-cropped land / proper utilization of acquired land is not maintained centrally in Department of Land Resources.
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