The road to tabling the Land Acquisition Bill, 2010, during the Winter Session appears to be bumpy as Railway minister Mamata Banerjee kept away from a crucial meeting to discuss the Bill with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and rural development minister CP Joshi.
Officially however, Banerjee?s staff maintains that she was not ?properly intimated? about the time of the meeting and hence could not make herself free for it. But sources unofficially say that Banerjee has already conveyed her reservations on the draft Bill to Mukherjee in writing and, therefore, did not feel the need to attend the meeting.
Since the Trinamool Congress made a grand comeback through its Singur and Nandigram agitations against the land acquisition policies of the ruling CPI(M) government in West Bengal, the Bill will put her in a tight spot. ?Mamata Banerjee?s main objections are with regard to the state acquisition of land for private parties, even the thirty per cent that is being talked of in the Bill. She also wants the clause of rehabilitation before eviction put in the bill as well as an undertaking that no forcible land acquisition would take place,? said a source close to Banerjee.
For the central government, some of the clauses are difficult to agree to — especially the dilution of the break up of 70:30 in land acquisition where private bodies acquire 70% of the land required and the government pitches in with 30%. They have instead spoken of an annuity clause in the pricing of land, so that there is a recurring income for farmers. The Haryana model of price compensation has been talked of in this context.
Rural development minister CP Joshi appeared hopeful of a breakthrough though despite Mamata Banerjee?s no-show. ?We are talking to allies to resolve the issue. Their feedback has been taken and their fear will be addressed before the bill is tabled in Parliament,? he said. Just when that will happen, is a mystery.