-Outlook The controversial Land Acquisition Bill was today cleared by the Union Cabinet, making mandatory the consent of 80 per cent of people whose land is taken for private projects. In the case of Public-Private Partnership projects, the bill makes mandatory obtaining of consent of 70 per cent of the people whose land will be for acquired. The bill was given the go-ahead at the Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Manmonan Singh. The bill...

-The Indian Express Amendments to the contentious land acquisition Bill not only seek to hasten the acquisition process through tight time-schedules but also contain a provision that virtually allows the law to be applied retrospectively to cases that witnessed protests in the past. The union cabinet is due to discuss the amendments to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill on Thursday. The changes suggest that the new law will be applicable to...

-Outlook The much awaited Land Acquisition Bill has been finalised and sent to the Union Cabinet which is likely take up the matter for consideration at its next meeting, a senior official said today. Sources said the bill was finalised by the Rural Development Ministry incorporating the suggestion of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who had asked the government to take consent from 80 per cent land owners for purchase of land for...

-One World South Asia A peoples’ assembly held in New Delhi, became a forum for voicing concern of people attached to movements, for accountability in public life. The five day people’s assembly (Jan Sansad) entered its second day at Jantar Mantar, with over 700 people from all over the country assembling in New Delhi. The day coincided with the ninth death anniversary of Satyendra Dubey, the former Project Director of the National Highway...

-The Financial Express Differences have cropped up between the Planning Commission and food ministry on the issue of creation of two million tonne capacity silos through the public- private partnership (ppp) mode. Sources say while Food Corporation of India (FCI), the nodal agency to implement the project, has been insisting on making 'railway siding' mandatory for silos, the Planning Commission believes that the construction of railways siding would increase the cost of...