"If irrigated and fertile land is taken by the government for public purposes and adequate compensation is paid to the farmers, then it is acceptable. Government can even facilitate in planning for the private players and earmark land for industries and educational institutions but should not buy the land for them," Mahajan told PTI.
She maintained private players can buy lands from farmers on their own.
Mahajan insisted several instances have come to light where more than the required land has been acquired by the government and remains unused.
"Such land can be sold to farmers who owned it if they pay the cost of the compensation paid earlier and the additional costs. The land left after doing so can then be used by the government to create land banks," she said.
Mahajan said criticism from some quarters in the highest echelons of the government was not fair.
"The Land Acquisition Bill was made in a hurry in the wake of the incident at Bhatta Parsaul. It not only aimed at repealing the 1894 Act on the matter but also dealt with issues of resettlement and rehabilitation. So, we felt it is an important Bill and formed our opinion after rigorous consultations," Mahajan said.
She said the government and Parliament have the right to accept or reject the recommendations of the Standing Committee and she would respect the Act passed by the House.
