Question : Land Acquisition Law

(a) the details of total number of Private, Government and Public Private Partnership projects which have reportedly been delayed due to non-passing of the Land Acquisition Bill, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether any land has been acquired under First, Second and Third Land Acquisition Ordinance, if so, the details thereof along with the total area of land acquired under these ordinances, State/UT wise;

(c) the total number of people that have been affected by these acquisitions across the country, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the affected population has been duly compensated, rehabilitated and resettled, if so, the details thereof, State/ UT-wise and if not , the reasons therefor and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(e) whether the Government has consulted various stakeholders to create a broader consensus on the proposed amendment to the land acquisition bill and if so, the details and the current status thereof along with the other steps being taken by the Government in this regard; and

(f) whether the Government has constituted National Monitoring Committee on land acquisition issues, if so, the details thereof and the number of meetings held by the said Committee during the last year and the current year?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

(a) to (d): Under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, acquisition of land for various projects including private, Government and public-private partnership projects is done by the “appropriate Government” which in most cases is the concerned State Governments. In addition, individual departments / agencies of Central Government may also be notified as the “appropriate Government” in selected cases. Consolidated information about the quantum of land acquired by Centreand States and/or the compensation payable to affected persons after the amendments made to the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 and details of projects, if any, that may have been delayed due to problems in land acquisition is not available with this Department.

(e): Some State Governments and other stakeholders raised concerns on certain provisions of the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 which inter-alia included mandatory Social Impact Assessment in all cases of land acquisition, consent requirement in case of acquisition for private companies and Public Private Partnership projects, special powers in case of urgency to acquire land, development of culturable wasteland in lieu of acquisition of multi-cropped irrigated land, Rehabilitation and Resettlement provisions in case of purchase through private negotiations, retrospective clause etc. Accordingly, certain amendments were done in the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 and at present the RFCTLARR (Amendment) Second Bill, 2015 stands referred to the Joint Committee of the Houses.

(f): National Monitoring Committee for Rehabilitation and Resettlement has been constituted to review and monitor the implementation of rehabilitation and resettlement schemes or plans under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 and National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007 due to land acquisition. The meetings of the National Monitoring Committee were held on 20th January, 25th May, 24th September and 18th November, 2015.


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