The Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre not to press for amendments in the Land Acquisition Bill that exempt projects from provisions relating to safeguarding food security.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the farmers in the State are strongly opposed to the provisions which empower State governments to exempt specified projects from the application of Chapter III of the Act.

Therefore, these provisions are unacceptable to the Tamil Nadu government, as they take away important safeguards for farmers and agriculture, she said, adding: “Hence, I urge the Government of India not to press these amendments.”

Chapter III relates to special provisions to safeguard food security and limit the conditions under which agricultural land can be acquired for such projects.

But it provides for exemptions when land is needed for specific category of projects.

The Chief Minister further said the ruling AIADMK voted in favour of the Amendment Bill on March 10, 2015 in the Lok Sabha after the government had accepted suggestions to exclude land acquisition for private hospitals and private educational institutions from the purview of the Amendment.

Welfare of farmers The Amendment Bill gave State governments the power to exempt specified projects from the application of the provisions of Chapter III of the Act, and the AIADMK, which has always strongly acted in favour of the welfare of farmers, small traders and the marginalised, would never have put the clause to use, she said in the letter.

A key feature of the Amendment Bill is the introduction of a new Section 10 A, which lists projects in defence and defence production, rural infrastructure including electrification, affordable housing and housing for the poor, industrial corridors, infrastructure and social infrastructure projects, including projects under public private partnership, where the ownership of the land continues to vest with the government.

Power to exempt State governments have the power to exempt such projects from the requirement of conducting “Social Impact Assessment (SIA)” and “Special Provisions for Safeguarding Food Security” as well as obtaining ‘Consent’ from a fixed percentage of affected families when land is acquired for PPP and private sector projects.

The Chief Minister said the views may be taken on record in the meeting of the Governing Council.

Since she was engaged with official work she would not be able to attend the meeting to deliberate on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

She had hoped to depute Finance Minister O Panneerselvam to attend the meeting. But late last evening the Chief Executive of NITI Aayog had said only Chief Ministers could attend.

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