"Public purpose" in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill should be limited to linear infrastructure and irrigation, including multipurpose dams and social sector infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and drinking water or sanitation projects constructed at state expense, the panel said.
"All cases of land acquisition must entail obligations for adequate compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement to all land losers and other affected persons," said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development, chaired by BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan, in its report on the Bill.
The report was tabled in Parliament today.
The panel has suggested that land acquisition for any purpose should be brought under the purview of this legislation, which currently exempts land acquired under 16 Acts listed in the Fourth Schedule from its ambit.
On the issue of fixing compensation for land acquisition, the Committee suggested that the government constitute a multi-member land pricing commission to finalise the cost of acquisition of land.
It also recommended that land should be returned after five years from date of possession if it is not used for the purpose for which it was acquired.
The Committee also recommended scrapping of a provision that allowed the Centre to amend the Act by issuing a notification.