Land Bill will benefit farmers, says Javadekar

New Delhi, April 25

Amid stiff opposition to land bill especially over consent clause, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said while some farmers will have to “sacrifice” their land for welfare of many others, they will be adequately compensated and will benefit in the exchange.

“Discussion on the consent clause is going on presently on the land acquisition Bill in the entire country. There may be various opinions on the consent clause.... The compensation which is presently there in the law, is adequate compensation. The farmer will get four times more than what is the price of the land or the price at which it is being brought,” Javadekar said during an event.

He said that in addition, the farmer will also get back 20 per cent developed land. Elaborating on the issue, Javadekar said that in the 1960s after a farmer’s agitation in Maharashtra, the formula of giving back 12.5 per cent developed land to the farmers was introduced.

“So whatever compensation was given on the basic land, 100 times more than that was given by that 12.5 per cent to the farmers. Here (new bill) 20 per cent of developed land is being given back,” Javadekar said.

The Bill for amending Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2014 has been approved by the Lok Sabha but could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha as the NDA government is short of numbers in the Upper House. — PTI