Govt admits differences over Land Acquisition Bill

Admitting differences over the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, government today claimed it did not face any embarrassment on the issue as also on two other bills that could not be taken up in the Budget session of Parliament which concluded today.

"There is a difference of opinion. We will do it after due discussion," Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal told reporters when asked whether it wilted under pressure from an important ally on the Land Acquisition Bill, which provides that compensation to farmers be paid at market rate

Bansal's comments are different from those of Congress party which has said that there was no difference on the bill between it and the Trinamool Congress, which had fought against land acquisition for the Tata small car project in Singur in West Bengal.

The government wanted to introduce the bill as it was important for farmers whose land was acquired, Bansal said at the end of a five-week session during which MPs more than made up the time lost in few disruptions.

"This is one of the important bills which we would have liked to discuss," he said admitting that it was even circulated among MPs in the Lok Sabha.

He also denied that the government faced any awkward situation on the Rubber Amendment Bill which could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha yesterday after opposition raised objections to the absence of Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his deputy Jyotiraditya Scindia, both of whom were abroad.