Odisha introduces Bill to amend Central law, ease land acquisition

Odisha will be the fourth state to amend the legislation as Gujarat (2016), Maharashtra (2018) and Karnataka (2019) have already made the amendment and received the assent of the President of India.

State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallik introduced the Amendment Bill on Wednesday evening and it is likely to be taken up for discussion during the current Assembly session.

“The state government through ‘Make in Odisha’ initiative intends to attract private investments in mega projects across sectors to fast-track the development process. Providing hassle-free land to the project proponents is one of the basic requirements for industrial and infrastructure development,” state revenue secretary Satyabrata Sahu told The Indian Express.

As acquisition of private land under the land acquisition and resettlement Act has been a major challenge for the state government because of provisions like mandatory SIA, a task force headed by Sahu was constituted to suggest necessary changes in the existing law. It also recommended procedures for facilitating smooth transfer of land for industrial projects.

As per the amendment Bill, SIA study will not be required for projects which are vital to national security or defence of India, infrastructure projects, including educational institutions, health infrastructure, government offices, electrification, irrigation projects and drinking water projects.

Projects like affordable housing, industrial corridors set up by the state government, infrastructure projects, including highways and railways and industrial projects involving displacement of 100 families or less, or acquisition of private land of 500 acres or less will also be exempt from conducting mandatory SIA.

“The SIA study consumes time and delays the land acquisition process. Hence, we have decided to do away with it for certain projects,” said a revenue department official.

The Odisha government has also decided to insert a new provision so that consent for acquisition of land for the above-mentioned projects will not be required in non-scheduled area. Such consent is mandatory for scheduled area.

The amendment will also enable the state government to recover the amount which was wrongfully paid to any person under the Act by inserting a new provision.