Rajasthan Land Acquisition Bill: Select Committee insists on higher compensation

However, Committee kept silent on the removal of the controversial social impact assessment criterion.

While agreeing with the amendments proposed to the Rajasthan Land Acquisition Bill 2014, the Select Committee in its recommendations has insisted on a higher compensation but kept silent on the removal of the controversial social impact assessment criterion.

Against the state’s proposal of 10 percent of the compensation amount as resettlement and rehabilitation to the project affected persons, the Select Committee has recommended 30 percent. In case the land is acquired by the State Government for private companies, the affected families shall have an option of a lump sum amount equal to 30 percent of the compensation (increased from 10 percent) or an annuity of Rs. 5000 for 20 years or a lump sum amount of Rs. 10 lakhs (increased from Rs. 7.5 lakh as proposed by the state). The committee has recommended that in case an entire village is displaced, the district collector shall resettle the village as near as possible to the affected village.

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Land acquired under this Act if left unutilized for a period of five years from the date of possession shall be returned to the original owner/ owners or to the Land Bank of the government. The committee has done away with the state’s provision that ‘no court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act which is alleged to have been committed except on a complaint in writing made by the Collector.’

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The committee has also said that the average sale price shall be determined taking into account sale deeds or agreements for similar type of area in the vicinity in the preceeding one year and not three years from the acquisition. Also the Collector shall make an award (compensation) within a period of one year instead of two years since the publication of declaration of the acquisition.

The bill however does not factor in any social impact assessment for any project and has brought down the percentage of consent of landowners for public private partnership. For core infrastructure projects like roads, pipelines, railways, communication, ports, airports and bridges the bill has entirely done away with landowners’ consent.

Parliamentary affair minister Rajendra Singh Rathore said, “The Select Committee recommendations have been tabled in the state assembly today but we will take a final call on whether the bill will be brought in for passage or not only after a decision on the central bill is taken by the party at the Center.”

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