New land bill not against farmers
Three of the most important functions of the government are: to reform, to regulate, and to generate revenue. These are the ‘3Rs’ as we call them. After missing the massive manufacturing, trade and infrastructure revolution in the early 90s and being relegated to the gait of an elephant and below 5 per cent growth rate, Indian economy was at its nadir, until the BJP-led NDA woke it up with a macro plan called ‘Make in India’.
‘Need for speed’ is the mantra of development, to trigger the sluggish economy tied down by two terms of misgovernance and policy paralysis of the Congress-led UPA government.
Land acquisition in India is governed by the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which came into force on January 1, 2014.
Until 2013, land acquisition in India was governed by Land Acquisition Act of 1894.
On December 31, 2014, the newly-elected BJPled NDA government passed an ordinance with an official mandate to meet the twin objectives of farmer welfare; along with expeditiously meeting the strategic and developmental needs of the country.
The government passed a Land Acquisition Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha on March 10, 2015.
For a free global economy to thrive, expeditious clearances, land acquisitions and policy reforms are the core essentials.
With over four lakh projects critical to employment generation, rural infrastructure, national security, manufacturing and industrial growth mired in litigation for years due to clauses like 75 per cent acceptance and social impact assessment, it is not surprising that we are far behind many small countries like Uganda, Kenya, Equador and Bangladesh and are ranked 134 for ease of doing business globally.
The direct impact of it is on employment for youth, rural and agriinfrastructure, industrial growth and indigenous manufacturing.
The overall land acquisition under selected projects impacted by this Bill will not be more than 0.5 per cent of the cultivated land in India.
However, by branding it anti-farmer, the united Opposition, led by a jittery Congress, is having a field day using the sheer statistical strength in the Upper House to stall this extremely important legislation, which can drive this nation’s economy in the right direction.
In fact, with this mispropaganda, they are doing gross injustice to the farmers, who can demand up to four times the value of the land, and are undermining a massive rural infrastructure and industrial growth spurt, which can positively impact the living standards of millions of poor people in this country.
Imagine, if Andhra Pradesh’s new capital and Telangana’s water grid projects were to be stuck in land acquisition litigations, what would have been the fate of growth in these two new states.
Imagine the same on a national scale to understand the damage caused by opposing this important piece of legislation.
India and Indians have no choice but to move in the direction of growth, which is long due and to bridge the gap between the ultra poor and the rich of this country,
By branding the amended Land Bill as anti-farmer, the Opposition, led by a jittery Congress, is having a field day and stalling this important legislation using its
strength in the Upper House. In
fact, with this mispropaganda,
they are doing gross injustice to the farmers, who can demand up to
four times the value of the land, and are undermin
ing a massive rural infrastructure and industrial
growth spurt, which can positively impact the living standards of millions of people.
through right steps at the right time.
It is important for the Opposition parties to move away from petty political expediency and put the country first by supporting this Bill in Parliament.