Hyderabad: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday asserted the Land Bill proposed by the NDA government is pro-farmer and will reduce poverty, even as he favoured a national debate on the legislation.
"The proposed Land Bill is equally important to lift the farmers and rural areas to a new level of sharing the fruits of development. Our intention is to see that farmers benefit, their children get employment," he said.
"I appeal to all parties to enable taking forward this legislation. Meanwhile, let there be a national debate-states have the liberty and power to implement the new Bill or the old UPA bill - let them decide. Then where is the problem," the Union Parliamentary Affairs minister said.
As for options being explored by government apart from re-issuing the land ordinance which will expire soon, he said, "Options and strategies are not revealed. But, you know better than us because you can also do your research."
Asked if re-issuing the ordinance was an option, he said the government would see the provisions available in Constitution and the precedents set by the previous governments.
"I am not saying anything. I leave it to you. There are provisions available in the Constitution. There are precedents set by previous government."
When he told Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad on the urgency to pass the bill as the session would be adjourned on March 20 and only meet again on April 20, the latter was quoted as saying by the Minister, "Mr Naidu, why are you in a hurry? You adjourn the House on 20th, issue an ordinance.
What is there? You can re-issue ordinance. We have also brought ordinances. Its on record."
"He (Azad) has already given some ideas. Let's see. What are precedents set up by previous government earlier," the Minister said.
On the opposition voiced by anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare, he said one should go through the details and come to a conclusion.
The government issued the ordinance after holding widespread consultations, including calling a meeting of all states and taking note of the letters written by the then Maharashtra Chief Minister (Prithviraj Chavan) and the then Union Minister Anand Sharma to the then Prime Minister opposing the UPA bill, Naidu said.
The government made nine amendments to the proposed bill "without standing on false prestige" during the course of debate in Parliament and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured that the government was ready to incorporate any more improvements, he said.
The Union Minister condemned the reported comments of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh that support of non-Congress parties to the coal and minerals bill was a compromise.
"It is regrettable and condemnable that senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh made highly objectionable comments doubting the wisdom of non-Congress parties who have supported the coal and minerals bill charging them that they have compromised with the government for other reasons instead of joining them in obstructing the progress of the country.
"Digvijay Singh might be speaking out of his own experience. These parties supported bills purely on their merits," he said.
The bill being proposed by the NDA government offers four times higher compensation to farmers for loss of land, employment to at least one member of family whose land has been acquired and if job could not be offered, at least Rs 2,000 per month (inflation linked increase) will be given to every family for 20 years.
A new house would be provided if a house is lost in the process of land acquisition, each displaced family will be given a subsistence grant of Rs 3,000 per month and at least Rs 25,000 would be given if a cattle-shed or small shop is lost.
No concessions have been given to private companies for setting up private hotels, private schools and private hospitals in the Act.
Private companies will have to get consent of 80 per cent of land owners and also have to get social impact assessment done among others.
Naidu expressed happiness for the passage of insurance bill, along with the coal and mines and mineral bills and others by Parliament.
He said a study has revealed that the productivity in the just-concluded session was 121 per cent, the highest in the last decade.
He complemented MPs and political parties for their collective wisdom for the high productivity of parliament. The land acquisition bill, GST and black money bills are next items for the second part of the budget session, the Minister added.
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