Latest news with #LandAcquisition
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP's Sunil Jakhar says AAP removed key clause of land acquisition law, SAD asks about money for policy
Chandigarh: Reacting to the Punjab cabinet approving a new land pooling policy on Monday, opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal criticised the incumbent AAP govt, with the BJP calling it a "bait" to "bleed Punjab" and SAD terming it a "scheme of corruption. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " Hitting out at AAP, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said, "I believe Punjab was used as an ATM from where they took out money. Now the central leaders of AAP from Delhi plan to use Punjab as a private bank." On provisions in the policy as announced by the govt that farmers will get back a part of the land which they can use for developing group housing projects, Jakhar said, "This is a bait. The intent is clear, and they want to bleed Punjab of its money by treating it as a milch cow. Punjab needs to be saved from this." Jakhar said AAP govt "removed" a key clause of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which otherwise could act as a "safety valve" to safeguard farmers' interests. The LARR Act, 2013, requires that the consent of 80% of landowners be obtained for private projects and that the consent of 70% of landowners be obtained for public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The govt proposed to exempt five special categories that were created, namely defence, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, industrial corridors, and infrastructure projects, including PPP projects where the govt owns the land. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said govt will take possession of farmers' land, but there is no guarantee as to when it could be developed. "It took several years for Ludhiana to expand beyond Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And the govt plans to acquire 25,000 acres. There will be no habitation in such a vast area for years. From where will this much population come to live in such a huge area? If acquired, farmers will lose their livelihood. Not only farmers, but those in allied agriculture activities, those dealing in agri implements and fertilisers, for instance, would also get hit. It will also directly or indirectly impact landless labourers and the dalit community," he added. Cheema asked the govt where was the money to develop the land it proposed to acquire. "If Rs 1 crore would be required to develop an acre of land, from where will Rs 25,000 crore come for developing 25,000 acres of land? AAP promises like giving Rs 1,000 per month to women remain unfulfilled. The Centre even cut the borrowing limit of the state to take loans. This scheme was, practically, rolled out for corruption. This is aimed at enabling the middlemen from Delhi to make money. Otherwise, there is no justification for it," he said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
PMRDA begins land acquisition for 150 new roads, reserved plots to enhance infrastructure
In a step to strengthen infrastructure and ease traffic congestion across the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has initiated the process from May 28 to acquire land for 150 proposed roads and around 85 hectares of reserved plots. Yogesh Mhase, PMRDA commissioner said, 'With the rapid expansion of urban areas and increasing demand for better transport networks, it is essential to secure land for future infrastructure proactively. This step will help us reduce project delays and support sustainable growth across the Pune metropolitan region.' The initiative covers several key talukas, including Maval, Haveli, Mulshi, and Shirur, and aims to facilitate planned urban growth across PMR's 6246.26 sq km jurisdiction. The authority has floated a tender to appoint a consultant who will handle the end-to-end land acquisition process, including both road corridors and various urban infrastructure reservations. According to the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by PMRDA, the selected consultant will be responsible for completing all land acquisition formalities up to possession, using methods such as compulsory acquisition, direct purchase, and statutory processes under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The scope of work for the consultant includes conducting revenue and cadastral surveys, preparing acquisition proposals, estimating compensation for affected assets such as structures, trees, and wells, and assisting PMRDA during joint measurement surveys. The consultant will also liaise with revenue officials and local authorities to ensure a smooth acquisition process. The total consultancy period is set for 30 months, with work expected to commence within 15 days of the final appointment. Interested firms must submit their bids online by June 6, 2025.
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah asks districts to reduce child malnutrition by 1% every year
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 31 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday issued strong instructions to officials across the state during a major progress review meeting, saying that districts must work to reduce the percentage of severely malnourished children by at least 1 per cent every year. Addressing the issue of malnourished children, the CM said that although the problem cannot be eliminated overnight due to social challenges, districts must work to reduce the percentage of severely malnourished children by at least 1 per cent every year. He issued this directive to the Deputy Commissioners of Bidar, Vijayanagar, and Ballari. 'There are social reasons why it's not possible to eliminate the issue all at once. Therefore, reducing the percentage by 1 per cent every year can help,' he said. The meeting, attended by ministers and senior bureaucrats, witnessed the CM giving clear directives aimed at improving governance and service delivery. He also emphasised continuous health monitoring of children, including tracking haemoglobin levels, and questioned the lack of visible improvements in nutritional status despite the provision of milk, eggs, and supplements. 'A scientific report must be prepared to understand why there is no progress. Based on that, corrective steps should be taken,' the CM said. Siddaramaiah expressed dissatisfaction with the repeated excuses from officials regarding land acquisition for national highway projects. 'How many years will you keep repeating the same story?' the CM asked in a stern tone. He added that if needed, a special officer would be appointed exclusively to handle land acquisition. He warned that new highway projects would not be approved unless pending ones were completed. Minister Satish Jarkiholi supported the CM's view, saying, 'Out of 42 pending projects, 22 have been completed, but many issues are due to the central government.' He urged central authorities to be more active in resolving issues. To address delays, the CM directed that bottleneck issues be prioritised, and a circular be issued to bring Special Land Acquisition Officers (SLAOs) under Deputy Commissioners' control. Minister Krishna Byre Gowda added, 'Regular monitoring can help improve the situation.' The CM and ministers raised serious concerns about SLAO practices, especially regarding land compensation. 'There's often a huge gap between market value, guidance value, and the compensation determined by SLAOs. This places an unnecessary burden on the government,' the CM noted. He ordered a comprehensive review of SLAO operations and confirmed that they would now report directly to Deputy Commissioners. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted the high number of fake and ineligible ration cards in several districts. 'Scientific data shows that in no district can more than 60 per cent of people be eligible. If eligibility shows 80 per cent or 90 per cent, it is unacceptable. It's unjust to those who truly deserve it,' the CM said. He called for the elimination of fake, duplicate, and ineligible ration cards to ensure benefits reach the right people. During the review, it was also revealed that some government employees and teachers hold BPL cards. While they don't use them for food grains, they avail other services like free hospital treatment. The CM instructed that no eligible beneficiary should be denied, but ineligible ones must be removed carefully to ensure genuine people don't suffer. He asked Deputy Commissioners to explain what steps they had taken to cancel such cards, what challenges they faced, and what solutions they proposed. With clear directions across multiple departments, the CM's meeting marked a renewed push for accountability, fairness, and efficiency in governance. (ANI)
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule asks for alternatives as meeting with farmers over Purandar airport ends in stalemate
1 2 3 Pune: The meeting held at the Pune district collector's office on Monday between state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and farmers opposing land acquisition for the proposed Purandar airport failed to yield any result. Farmers stood firm and refused to give up land for the project, despite the minister's assurance of fair compensation plus the willingness to negotiate. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Bawankule also heads the land acquisition department. He said, "The farmers are adamant they will not part with their land. I have requested them to suggest alternatives within seven days, since the project is vital for the region's development. They may put forth their demands, but refusing is not an option." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Mysterious Photos That Cannot Be Explained True Edition Undo He said the govt will announce its own compensation package within two weeks, if the group of farmers fails to submit proposals within the given time. Land acquisition will be carried out under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which allows compensation of up to four to five times the market value along with other benefits. The minister said the recent land survey has been put on hold following protests and assured no survey would be conducted forcibly. "The project will transform the future of west Maharashtra. It will open the doors to development and help farmers export produce globally." Meanwhile, during the meeting, farmers also demanded that cases filed against them during protests be withdrawn. On Saturday, the authorities had tried to carry out a drone survey which led to clashes and at least 18 police personnel and several farmers were injured. Pune rural police have registered three different cases against protesters. Bawankule said, "There are videos showing protesters attack officials. People involved directly in the crime will face action. However, we could decide to withdraw cases against innocent bystanders who may have been wrongly booked. The matter will be discussed with the CM on Tuesday." A farmer who attended the meeting, Santosh Hagawane, said, "Our land is under cultivation. The law clearly states such land cannot be acquired. Our land is like our mother— we depend on it to survive. We will not give it to the govt for any project." He also said the govt had surveyed alternative sites, including areas near Baramati, which are not cultivated and something similar should be considered to build the airport. "Seven villages which are likely to be affected have passed resolutions against acquisition. Over 4,500 to 5,000 farmers will lose their land if the project goes ahead," he added.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
State comes up with final order to acquire land for Sabarimala airport
The State government has brought out the final order for acquiring land for the Sabarimala Greenfield airport project under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013. The order, issued by Sheeba George, Additional Secretary (Revenue) is in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 11 of the LARR Act and states that a total of 1,001.873 hectares (2,475.68 acres) is required to be acquired for the project in Erumeli South and Manimala villages. This includes 2,263-acre Cheruvally estate, which is currently under the possession of the Ayana Charitable Trust and land located outside the estate. Individuals involved in the land acquisition process are encouraged to raise any grievances within 15 days regarding the updating of land records or titles in relation to the land proposed for acquisition. Objections concerning the area and suitability of the land proposed for acquisition, justification for public purpose and the findings of the Social Impact Assessment report should be submitted within 60 days. 'Any objection or statement which is received after the due date and which does not clearly explain as how the objector is interested in the land, is liable to be summarily rejected,' reads the order. The new order was issued after considering the Social Impact Assessment report, recommendations from the expert committee based on the SIA report and the district Collector's report on it. In the report, the District Collector had stated that the land be acquired under Section 7 (5) of the LARR Act. This is the second time that the State government is going through the land acquisition process as the previous notifications for both the SIA and land acquisition were revoked by the government following objections from the Ayana Charitable Trust (formerly Gospel for Asia) and local residents. They challenged in the court the legitimacy of the initial SIA study, which had been conducted by the Centre for Management Development, citing the organisation's links with the State Industries department. In the next step, the government will begin the official survey of the land as per section 12 and prepare a file of the precise extent of land to be acquired along with its survey numbers. It will be followed by a declaration of the rehabilitation and resettlement (RR) package, as outlined in section 19 (1) of the LARR Act. Stup Consultants Ltd, appointed by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), is in the process of preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the project. Once the DPR is completed and submitted to the KSIDC, it will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for further review.
