Consensus on Land Acquisition Bill..!l

* Land Could be Leased to Developers

* Ownership will remain with the farmers

* Would provide them with regular annual income.

Central Government has clinched a 'broad consensus' on the contentious Land Acquisition Bill, paving the way for its consideration and passage in Parliament in the Budget Session which resumes on Monday after a month-long recess.

"We have reached a broad consensus on the Land Acquisition Bill," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr. Kamal Nath and Leader of Opposition in LokSabha Ms. SushmaSwaraj told reporters after a 90 minute all-party meeting.

Government agreed to a key demand of the BJP, which had suggested that instead of acquisition, the land could be leased to developers so that its ownership will remain with the farmers and would provide them with regular annual income.

The government is learnt to have agreed to amend the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, to provide for an enabling provision for states to enact laws in this regard as leasing of land was a state subject, government, sources said.

However, the Left parties and DMK still have reservations on the Bill with the CPI (M) demanding consent of all the families affected due to the acquisition of land.

"There is a lot of dilution from the original Bill. The current version is against the interest of farmers. We will move amendments when the Bill is taken up in Parliament," CPI (M) leader Mr. Basudeb Acharia told reporters.

DMK leader Mr. T. R. Baalu claimed that the Bill was against the federal structure of the Constitution &  his party can not agree to it.

The first all-party meet on the Land Acquisition Bill, which was held here on April 9, 2013 had failed to iron out the differences between the government and BJP, SP &  the Left Front.

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