Gulf News

Modi says he is prepared to amend controvers­ial land acquisitio­n decree

Cabinet approved an emergency order in December to make it easier to take over land

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yesterday he was ready to make changes to a decree that makes it easier for businesses to acquire land currently used for agricultur­e amid uproar over the impact on farmers.

Modi’s cabinet approved an emergency executive order in December to make it simpler to acquire land if it was to be used for power, housing or defence projects as part of a bid to kickstart billions of dollars’ worth of stalled infrastruc­ture projects.

Opponents of the bill, which was tabled in the lower house on Tuesday, have accused the right-wing government of trying to force through the bill without proper scrutiny, arguing it will hurt the agricultur­e sector.

But in a combative speech in parliament, Modi asked his rivals to support the bill, which he said was “only for the benefit of Indian farmers” and that he would personally rectify it if they found it otherwise.

“Let us not politicise this matter,” he told lawmakers. “If you find any point that is anti-farmer, then I am ready to change that clause.”

Under the present law, which was brought in by the previous Congress government, those seeking to acquire land must have the consent of 80 per cent of the affected landowners and must compensate tenant farmers up to four times the market price.

Restrictio­ns on buying land have been cited as the main reason behind delays to projects worth almost $300 billion (Dh1.1 trillion) nationwide, and business groups have complained rules are skewed too heavily in favour of landowners.

Dash for growth

The country’s biggest corporate groups have flocked behind business-friendly Modi, whose Hindu nationalis­t Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in May on a pledge to revive the ailing economy.

But opponents have expressed concern that the dash for growth has led to a watering down of environmen­tal rules and land laws to favour business.

Congress lawmakers stormed out of parliament in protest at the bill earlier this week, while hundreds of people also joined a demonstrat­ion led by veteran anticorrup­tion campaigner Anna Hazare in New Delhi.

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