-PTI   Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh today refuted the charge that National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) had caused labour shortage in sectors like agriculture and construction. Ramesh said that there was a deliberate attempt to spread propaganda discrediting NREGA. "The scheme has increased agricultural wages, reduced distressed migration in some parts of the country and created community assets particularly water conservation structures. Of course, there is room for improvement," the...

-IBN   In a major setback for the Uttar Pradesh government, the Allahabad High Court on Friday cancelled the land acquisition of three villages in Greater Noida. The land acquisition of Asadallapur, Devla and Saberi villages were cancelled by the court. As per the order, the farmers who have already taken the compensation, can return the amount and claim back their land. The farmers in the remaining 37 villages, where planning has already taken place,...

-The Indian Express   The Supreme Court has said that it amounts to “fraud” on the part of the government to forcibly acquire land under the guise of a public purpose, only to have the property transferred to Real Estate Developers or companies for their use.   A Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhyaya held that the State cannot use its power to compulsorily purchase or acquire land of a...

-The Indian Express Unfinished car shells rusting in a deserted factory in India's West Bengal state lie testimony to flaws in a century-old land-acquisition law the government now wants to replace. * Jobs, housing, cash to landowners made mandatory * Costs, project delays to increase - Indian corporates react * Bill to push up costs by 350 pct for big plots - analysts, cos * Bill likely to be passed in December Tata Motors was forced...

West Bengal on Wednesday finalized a new land policy under which it will seize industrial land not used for five years. If the land had been acquired from farmers, the government will redistribute it among original owners, the new policy says, expanding the scope for returning farm land taken over for industrial use. Though cleared by the state cabinet on Wednesday, the new land policy wasn’t formally announced in view of two...