The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared amendments to the Land Acquisition Bill. The Rural Development Ministry moved three changes to accommodate what it believed were the key points that emerged from an all-party meeting held earlier raised by the opposition and were accepted.
The Cabinet approved amending the Bill to ensure that in cases where compulsory acquisition has not been completed by the time of its passage the process would lapse and would have to be restarted under the new law. This has been done to ensure that States do not go for compulsory acquisitions under the existing easy norms in anticipation of the new Bill being passed by Parliament.
This retrospective clause has been brought back after the meeting.
The proceedings under the previous law will lapse if an award under Section 11 of the Law Acquisition Act, 1894, has not been granted or land possession not taken.
Where compensation has not been accepted by individuals or has been accepted under protest it shall be deemed unpaid, permitting the process under the existing law to lapse when the new law comes into force.