New Delhi, March 22
Dispelling fears that the
land acquisition bill was "anti-farmer", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
Sunday said that his government was only removing the "shortcomings" in
the existing legislation so that "our farmers don't suffer".
"The
Land Acquisition Act, 2013, was passed in a hurry. We too supported the
government then but soon realised that it was not in the interest of
the farmers and decided to remove its shortcomings," Modi said
addressing farmers in his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'.
"This
(present) bill is aimed at the welfare of farmers and villages," Modi
said, adding that rumours against it were meant to keep the farmers poor
and backward.
"The shortcomings from the act were to be removed as we don't want our farmers to suffer," he said.
The
prime minister said the 2013 act had kept out of its purview 13 laws
including those related to railways, highways and mines. These, he said,
accounted for most of the land acquisition.
"Was it not a mistake? And if we have corrected it, is it anti-farmer?"
Modi said his government had to bring in an ordinance so that farmers get the right compensation for the land acquired.
When
the 2013 act was enacted, many MPs from the previous United Progressive
Alliance government opposed it, saying it was anti-farmer and would
only help bureaucrats and officers.
"What we are doing is
removing all those shortcomings," Modi said, expressing anguish over
what he said were rumours that his government was bringing an
"anti-farmer law".
"Brothers and sisters, I cannot even think of
harming you," he said. "The compensation set by the earlier act will
remain the same... nothing has been changed."
The prime minister
assured the farmers that the highlights of the old legislation had been
preserved in the new bill including providing job to a young member of
the family whose land has been taken away.
He said his government
had made it mandatory that the district authorities specify who would
get the job and where the job would be.
"I want to assure you
through this new law, no extra land would be acquired... First a survey
will be done and than the land will be taken according to needs."
Modi
said the 'Social Impact Assessment' that the existing legislation
demands before land acquisition had proved to be a "complicated process"
and would harm the interest of the farmers.
Modi also clarified that it was wrong to think that land acquired in the villages would be used for private businesses.
He said that rumours of a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) on lands were not true.
"Suppose a road with RS.100 crore is to be built under PPP. Will that
road be taken away by the investor? The ownership of that road will
remain with the government," Modi said, asking farmers not to be misled.
New Delhi, March 22
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Sunday said he was surprised by rumours against the land
acquisition bill and defended the legislation saying it was aimed at the
welfare of farmers.
Addressing the country's farmers in his
monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said: "I am perplexed to
learn about so many rumours spread against the bill (land acquisition)."
Modi
said the law was 120 years old and has been in force for over 60 years
since India gained independence. Therefore, it needed some amendments to
benefit the farmers.
"This bill is aimed at the welfare of
farmers and villages," Modi said, adding that the "rumours were
anti-farmer" and were meant to keep the farmers poor and backward.
"If states have objection to amendments in land acquisition bill, they can continue with the old law," Modi said.
Slamming
those opposing the bill, Modi said political leaders who were
protesting against the bill have governed under the old law which has
failed to benefit the farmers in the last 60 years.
"With this Mann Ki Baat, the administration will get a strong message to resolve your issues," Modi added.
