Hyderabad: AP revenue officials have told Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that according to new Land Acquisition Rehabilitation, Resettlement Act, acquisition of land, not only for construction of the new capital city, but also for any new industry, will be difficult.
They said in addition to the lengthy process, there are stringent rules in the Act for land acquisition and unless some rules are changed, the government cannot acquire land for any purpose.
The erstwhile UPA government had brought in the new Act, which had come into force from January 1, 2014. Interestingly along with BJP chief ministers, Congress chief ministers have also opposed the new Act and demanded that it be amended.
According to the new Act, to acquire land in a village, the Grama Sabha must approve.
That too, in the Grama Sabha, 70 per cent will have to accept the proposal and 25 per cent of the effected people must attend.
After that, the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) committee will have to clear it.
Another rule is that when land is acquired, those whose lands have been acquired will have to be rehabilitated, which means that the government will have to acquire additional land to rehabilitate the affected people.
Mr Naidu has asked the Revenue officials to study the Act and prepare a report regarding which rules should be changed.
The state government will send the report to the Centre, requesting changes in some rules in the Act.
Meanwhile, Union Rural Development Minister, Mr Nitin Gadkari, recently held a meeting with state Revenue ministers and discussed the implementation of the new land acquisition Act.
He also said that the government may change some provisions of the Act though the sections that dealt with compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement would not be changed.
He said that the government might make some amendments to make it easier regarding Grama Sabha and SIA approval.
