New Delhi: Meghalaya has joined the chorus with many states in opposing Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which came into effect on January 1, 2014, on the ground that being under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, land in the State belongs to the individuals and not the Government.
Other mainline states opined that it had hurt the process of acquiring land for infrastructure projects and demanded ‘drastic changes’ in certain provisions of the farmer-friendly law.
Meghalaya’s stand was forcefully made clear by Deputy Chief Minister R.C. Laloo at the meeting with Union Minister for Rural Development Nitin Gadkari here on the implementation of the Act.
“Meghalaya is a tribal State and the management of land as defined under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is under the Autonomous District Councils,” Laloo pointed out. Elaborate definition of the Scheduled Area need to be taken up in line with the sentiment of the tribal people who are in a majority in the State, he said.
Land acquisition in the State is taken up only for the purpose of developmental activities, the Deputy Chief Minister said. The long drawn procedures provided in the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Act, 2013, may delay the developmental projects in the State which is comparatively lacking in infrastructure and development, he added.
Giving details, Laloo said that the State Government has also requested the Law Department to request the High Court to appoint a Presiding Officer for heading the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Authority.
The Meghalaya Government has also approached both NEHU and IIM Shillong to conduct the Social Impact Assessment Studies.
“While acknowledging that the country as a whole needs a strong law to ensure that alienation of land from the agrarian community has to be protected to ensure Food Security for the country it is also important to ensure that land for development purposes should be made available in the earliest possible time to ensure the speedy economic development of the country as a whole,” Laloo said.
The Act needs to be further simplified to strike out a balance between social obligation and economic development specially keeping in view the unique Sixth Schedule, he added.
