New
Land Acquisition Law
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in
Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 replaced the vintage Land Acquisition
Act, 1894 from January 1, 2014. As many as 13 existing Central pieces of
legislation have to be amended within the year to bring their R & R and
compensation provisions on a par with those of the new regime on buying land
across the country.
Union Minister for Rural Development Mr. Jairam Ramesh
announced the roll-out of the new law. He said that the clock had started
ticking for 10 Ministries of which three ¾Railways, Power and Home ¾
have to amend two laws each accordingly. The Minister flagged the Coal Bearing
Areas Acquisition and Development Act, 1957, the National Highway Act, 1956,
and the Land Acquisition (Mines) Act, 1885 in particular. The Coal and
mining-related laws have assumed significance in view of the agitations in
Jharkhand and Odisha. The other laws that have to be amended are: the Atomic
Energy Act, 1962; the Indian Tramways Act 1886; the Railways Act, 1989; the
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958; the Petroleum
and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962; the
Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948; the Electricity Act, 2003; Requisitioning
and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, 1952; the Resettlement of Displaced
Persons (Land Acquisition) Act, 1948 and the Metro Railways (Construction of
Works) Act, 1978.
Meanwhile, the Rural Development Ministry also notified
the Rules to the new Act. These Rules are still open for change as the law
mandates that 45 days be provided for factoring in comments from the public.
However, Since all key stakeholders were consulted before drawing up the Rules,
the Ministry did not foresee any hitch in this regard and was hopeful of
placing them before Parliament by mid-February.
