July 24, 2014
WB Law Minister writes to Centre seeking clarifications of Land Acquisition Act
State Law Minister Mrs ChandrimaBhattacharya has written a letter to the Centre urging them to convene ameeting with the Law Minister and other concerned ministries, before giving itsconsent to the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Land Resettlement Act 2013.
A few weeks back, the State law ministerMrs Chandrima Bhattacharya had written a letter to the Centre seeking a datefor a meeting as the state government was not satisfied with the compensationpackage that was supposed to be offered to the land losers.
According to the provisions of the Act,each state government has to offer double compensation from the market price forthe land losers in the rural areas, than those in the urban areas, but thestate government was not in favour of providing double compensation to all theland losers of the rural areas.
In fact the state government has decidedthat if the land is available from the land losers staying 120 km away from theurban area, then the state government will provide double compensation,otherwise the compensation amount will be same as the market price.
According to the state government, therural areas should be divided and based on distance; the compensation packageshould be fixed. Although a compensation proposal has been formulated by thestate government, but before Cabinet approval, the consent of the Unionministers is to be taken as it`s a Central Act.
Mrs Bhattacharya said that they areawaiting Centre`s nod for holding a meeting with the state government over thisissue.
The Right to Fair Compensation andTransparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 hasprovisions to provide fair compensation to those whose land is taken away,brings transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factoriesor buildings, infrastructural projects and assures rehabilitation of thoseaffected.
