Land Acquisition Law passed under UPA was conspiracy against farmers: Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today alleged that the Land Acquisition Law passed in 2013 under the UPA regime was a "conspiracy" to shun rural areas from development and render landless people jobless.

"With an intention to serve their political interests, I can say the 2013 Land Acquisition Law passed during the UPA government tenure was a conspiracy to keep rural areas aloof from development and to keep landless people jobless," Jaitley said while addressing the inaugural session of two-day Madhya Pradesh BJP's State Executive meeting here.

He said in order to ensure development of rural areas and to generate employment for the landless people, the amendment in the bill was necessary.

Jaitley explained at length provisions of the land bill passed by Lok Sabha, after resistance and deliberations, highlighting that unlike the 2013 law, it ensures development of rural infrastructure, housing for poor and landless persons and development of industrial corridors to generate employment for rural people.

The law passed in 2013 had no provisions for military purpose, nuclear energy and for water resources schemes among others, he said.

The Minister said that if the 2013 law is implemented, then schemes like Rural Electrification Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) will have to be closed as there is no provision for acquisition of land for such programmes.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Jaitley said India's stature has risen across the world and relations with neighbours have improved.