Land Bill 2015 has caused great concern among farmers: Badal

Land should not be acquired without the consent of farmers and land owners, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said and proposed that the social impact assessment clause should apply to all acquisitions.
Speaking at a high-level meeting of chief ministers convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Badal, whose SAD is an NDA ally, said he was of firm view that land acquisition, whether for state or central projects, should be left to state governments.
"This land should be acquired only with the consent of owners, solely for the public purposes," he said.
Badal's views come at a time when the NDA government is seeking the support of everyone to get the crucial land bill passed in Parliament. A joint Committee of Parliament is currently looking into the crucial Bill.

Badal urged the Central government to adopt Punjab land acquisition policy as a role model for the national policy on the proposed Land Acquisition Bill-2015.
Thanking the Prime Minister for convening the meeting on "a crucial subject" as agriculture was facing a serious crisis in the country, Badal said, agriculture was a losing profession resulting in heavy debt and farm suicides.

"In the light of this grim scenario, the Land Acquisition Bill 2015 has caused great concern in the minds of farmers and farm labourers," he added.
The Chief Minister said that the general perception in the minds of farmers was that this bill was "anti-farmer".

"Badal said he was of firm view that land acquisition, whether for state or central projects, should be left to the state governments and this land should be acquired only with the consent of owners, solely for the public purposes," a Punjab government statement said.
Badal also proposed that social impact assessment clause should apply to all acquisitions to ensure the process of Land Acquisition far more fair, transparent and accountable.
He also urged the Centre to frame rules after the bill finally becomes an Act.