Odisha House passes Bill exempting mandatory social impact assessment

According to the Bill, the RFCTLAR&R Act-2013, a central law, with mandatory provision of SIA “causes delay in acquisition of land.” As acquisition of private land under the 2013 land acquisition law has been a major challenge for the state government because of provisions like mandatory SIA, a task force was constituted by the state government to suggest necessary changes in the existing central law. It also recommended procedures for facilitating smooth transfer of land for industrial projects.

“States like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka have also made certain amendments in 2016, 2018 and 2019 to the 2013 central law in its applicability to their respective states. All three states have also received assent of the President,” read a statement of the Bill moved by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi.

As per the amendment, a new chapter will be inserted in the RFCTLAR&R Act, 2013 providing a provision for exempting certain projects from SIA and provision of food security while acquiring land through a notification by the state government.

These projects include project vital to national security or defence of India, public infrastructure like educational institution, health, electrification, irrigation project, drinking water project, government offices, affordable housing for poor, industrial corridor set up by the state government, infrastructure projects like highways, railways and industrial project displacing family less than 100 families or acquisition of private land of less than 500 acres.

The new Bill also enables the state government to recover the amount wrongfully paid to any person under 2013 Land Acquisition law.