The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government’s proposed land acquisition law, a politically sensitive and critical piece of legislation that could potentially remove a big roadblock to industrial investment, aims to address rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R), providing safeguards for both land owners and livelihood losers, while clearly defining the “public purpose” for which land can be acquired by the government. “This draft Bill seeks to balance the need for facilitating land acquisition...

Homebuyers in Noida can breathe easy. In an important breakthrough, the city's villages have decided to call off their recent agitation over land acquisition-related issues. After arriving at a settlement with Noida Authority on Saturday, the farmers promised not to disrupt work at any of the project sites. However, the agreement does not affect the fate of projects in Noida Extension, where negotiations are still on between farmers and Greater...

-The Economic Times   The draftland acquisition bill could provide muscle to the farmers' agitations as it has proposed a higher stake for the displaced from the sale of acquired land. Put simply, a farmer would have to be given an additional sum -- the bill proposes 20%-- in the event of the acquired land being resold at a higher price by its developer. This proposal is certain to provide fresh impetus...

The Noida-Greater Noida imbroglio will be instructive for the draft land acquisition bill In The Works...     * Government to acquire land, “public purpose” to be redefined     * Land acquisition only after getting written consent of 80 per cent of landowners     * Monitoring authority to be set up at the Centre and states to ensure compliance     * Payment component split into part-cash-down and remaining in annuity for 33 years     * Post...

-The Deccan Herald "Law is misused for business interests." There is reason for serious concern over the aggressive acquisition of farm land by the Karnataka government on behalf of corporates. It has notified 3,382 acres in Halligudi in Gadag district where Korean steel giant Posco proposes to set up a 6 million tonne per annum integrated steel plant and a 450-mw captive power plant. Farmers in the area, whose lands have been...