Land acquisition bill changed to give retrospective compensation

In significant changes in the draft land acquisition bill, a clause has been introduced that will bring cases where the award of land is under way or possession has not taken place within the scope of compensatory and acquisition norms.

It will also provide for five times higher compensation to those affected in the scheduled caste / scheduled tribe category.

This will make private developers, industries and the government, who are involved in the process of acquiring land, pay generous compensation packages to landowners with retrospective effect. "The new clause that we have introduced will give the bill retrospective effect," rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said.

"This was a unanimous demand from all farmer organisations,'' he said in New Delhi on Friday.

The revised draft of the land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement Bill (LARR) has been sent for inter-ministerial consultations. It will be sent for cabinet approval in the first week of September and introduced in the Parliament soon after.

"There is a good deal of political consensus, and in all likelihood, it will be passed in the winter session," added Ramesh.