Govt to table land acquisition, MMDR bills in RS today

Notwithstanding the continuing impasse over amendments to the land acquisition act, the government is expected to table a bill in Rajya Sabha today to replace its ordinance it passed late last year. The Budget session of the Parliament started on Monday.

The government will table the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Act in the upper house even as opposition parties such as Congress -- the architect of its 2013 version – have said they would oppose what they term is a dilution of the original law.

The ruling BJP has minority status in the Rajya Sabha – where members are selected depending on MLAs parties have in various states -- and in its nine-month rule often faced hiccups in getting key bills passed.

To add to the government’s problem, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Monday kickstarted a two-day protest in Delhi over what he termed was an anti-farmer bill.

Through the amendment, the government has said it seeks to simplify the procedure of land acquisition. Under it, it has done away with the clause of consent from 70 percent owners for five categories of acquirers.

The government will also table an amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, which seeks to bring in a transparent way to allocate mines across the country through the auction process.