Land Acquisition Bill proposes national monitoring body

New Delhi (PTI) - Aiming at ensuring better
resettlement and rehabilitation, the Indian draft Land
Acquisition Bill proposes to set up a national monitoring body
which will be regularly updated by the states.
'The Draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation &
Resettlement Bill, 2011' also proposes to set up authorities
both at central and state level for speedy disposal of issues
related to land acquisition.
"The central government shall constitute a National
Monitoring Committee for reviewing and monitoring the
implementation of rehabilitation and resettlement schemes or
plans under the Act," says the draft bill, which seeks to
enhance compensation for land owners by up to six times.
It proposes that the committee should have "eminent
experts from the relevant fields" along with representatives
of the ministries concerned and departments of the central and
state governments.
The states and Union Territories shall provide all the
relevant information on the matters covered under the Act, to
the committee "in a regular and timely manner, and also as and
when required," says the draft bill unveiled last week.
The draft bill also proposes to set up authorities both
at national and state level for "the purpose of providing
speedy disposal of disputes relating to land acquisition,
compensation, Rehabilitation and Resettlement".
Both the National Land Acquisition Dispute Settlement
Authority and State Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Dispute Settlement Authority shall consist at
least three members, including the chairperson, the draft bill
says.
"The members of the Authority shall be persons of ability,
integrity and standing who have adequate knowledge of, and
have shown capacity in, dealing with the problems relating to
land acquisition matters, public administration, finance,
economics and law," says the draft.
The draft bill, which was unveiled amid a raging
controversy over land acquisition across the country, also
proposes penalty for obstructing acquisition of land.
Whoever wilfully obstructs any authorised person to
acquire land or wilfully fills up, destroys, damages or
displaces any trench or mark made shall "on conviction before
a Magistrate, be liable to imprisonment for any term not
exceeding one month, or to fine not exceeding Rs 500, or to
both," it says.
While assuring adequate compensation to land owners and
ensuring rehabilitation of those displaced, the new draft bill
also seeks to punish a person if he tries to cheat the
government by filing "false or misleading documents" for
availing rehabilitation and resettlement benefit.
Furnishing false information and mala fide action will
result in the levy of a fine of up to Rs one lakh and/or with
imprisonment up to a month, says the draft.
"If a person, in connection with a requirement or
direction under this Act, provides any information or produces
any document that the person knows is false or misleading, he
shall be liable to be punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to one month, or with
fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both," it
says.
The proposed legislation, which also seeks to replace the
existing Land Acquisition Act, 1984, says any rehabilitation
and resettlement benefit availed of by making a false claim or
through fraudulent means shall be liable to be recovered by
the appropriate authority.
In a bid to check the corrupt practices of the
bureaucrats engaging in land acquisition, the draft bill
proposes "disciplinary proceedings" by the disciplinary
authority against a government servant, who if proved to be
guilty of a mala fide action in respect of any provision of
the Act.
Such an official shall be liable to punishment including
a fine as the disciplinary authority may decide, it says.