Law soon for rehabilitation before SEZ land acquisition

Monday April 16 2007 02:08 IST
IANS

NEW DELHI: Facing protests over land acquisition for setting up Special
Economic Zones (SEZs), the government is considering to enact a law
making it mandatory for industries to rehabilitate the displaced people
before developing projects.

Piloted by the Rural Development Ministry, the Resettlement and
Rehabilitation (R&R) Bill is currently being examined by the law
ministry, said sources from the two ministries.

"We have a two-pronged strategy. Besides enacting a new R&R Act, the
Land Acquisition Act too would be amended to give the new law an
overriding effect over the Land Acquisition Act and the Special Economic
Zone Act," said a Rural Development Ministry source.

Earlier this week, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh
had said his ministry's relief and rehabilitation policy would soon go
to the cabinet.

Singh indicated that compulsory land acquisition for industrial projects
including Special Economic Zones would not be allowed "at any cost" in
the policy. He said his ministry "would ensure that the interests of
farmers are protected".
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