Latest news with #LandAcquisitionActof2013
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Parl panel flag violations in land acquisition
The Parliamentary standing committee on rural development flagged blatant violations of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 in cases where land was acquired by undermining the authority of gram sabhas, people familiar with the May 28 proceedings in New Delhi said . Underhanded techniques, such as using forged signatures to manufacture consent, remained a key focus of the panel, which discussed land acquisitions for infrastructure development and industrial purposes, such as for mining bauxite and iron ore, without the mandatory clearances of gram sabhas. The committee discussed in depth at least nine cases from Odisha involving serious violations affecting the forest rights of Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) in the implementation of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, Land Acquisition Act and the Forest Rights Act intersect in several cases involving land acquisition in forested areas. 'In the last two-three years, many arbitrary decisions were taken on giving leases for bauxite mining in Kalahandi, Koraput, Rayagada districts and iron ore mining in Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts in Odisha. In all cases, the Land Acquisition Act 2013 was violated, where the governments had forcefully and fraudulently acquired lands across Fifth Schedule areas in the Constitution without the knowledge and consent of gram sabhas,' said a person part of the meeting. The standing committee recorded oral evidence from representatives of the department of land resources under the ministry of rural development on May 28, as well as from experts and other stakeholders, on the implementation and effectiveness of the Land Acquisition Act. The Act mandates prior and informed consent of the affected families, a social impact assessment before any rehabilitation, and importantly, the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups: members of Scheduled Tribes (STs) and OTFDs. The committee discussed at least nine instances of such violations across five districts in the state, including in Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, where in March this year, 43 tribal families' houses were bulldozed for an airstrip expansion project. '43 tribal families are living their daily life without proper rehabilitation. The district administration had issued a notice giving one month's time to vacate homes, but within six days of serving the said notice, their houses were bulldozed. A notice was issued to conduct a gram sabha, but it wasn't held. The land in question is grazing land where the villagers have been staying for more than 35 years…PMAY houses were constructed [in that land]…the villagers could have been consulted, and rehabilitation and proper compensation could have been offered till they agreed to shift for the expansion of one Air strip,' said a person part of the meeting, wishing anonymity. The person added that various Members of Parliaments (MPs) also pointed out that gram sabhas' consent was not taken as a norm across the country. The committee also discussed the fake gram sabhas allegedly held on December 8, 2023, for the diversion of forest lands for non-forest purposes in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts for bauxite mining in 10 villages. Another person part of the meeting said: 'None of villages where gram sabhas were allegedly held had any prior information about the proposals for forest diversion for the bauxite mines. However, we were told that the resolutions were fake, and it was shocking that gram sabhas were allegedly held on the same date and time across all the 10 villages and that the sarpanch or other government officials who have signed in gram sabha documents were also present in ten different places on the same time and date.' Officials present at the meeting told HT that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had also sent a letter on this issue in March this year to the state government for a thorough examination. People aware of the matter said that inadequate compensation and rehabilitation under the Land Acquisition Act were also discussed in the meeting. 'The need for an immediate action from the central government for the implementation of all the special provisions under RFCTLARR Act 2013 for the rights of STs and other forest-dependent communities were also discussed,' said another official.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Land, parking to policy: What changes have been recommended for metro rail
India's rapidly expanding metro rail network may soon see a raft of reforms aimed at removing bureaucratic hurdles, revenue expansion, and making metro rail stations more commuter-friendly. At a recent national-level meeting of Metro Rail heads and government officials, several key recommendations were discussed that could pave the way for a more efficient and sustainable urban transport system. According to a report by The Indian Express, the proposals range from overhauling land acquisition procedures to drafting new parking and revenue policies. The conference was held in Gandhinagar in March and attended by officials from all metro corporations and the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. India operates 1,000 km of metro rail across 23 cities, with another 1,000 km being built. However, ridership remains low in many cities. Poor planning, limited parking, and weak last-mile links have been cited as the causes for low usage in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Chennai. Only a few lines, like Delhi Metro and Mumbai Line 1, meet expectations. The meeting urged better integration and service to make metros a viable alternative to private transport. Some of the recommendations made were: Tackling delays in land acquisition for metro lines One of the critical bottlenecks flagged by participants was the delay in acquiring land due to the mandatory social impact assessment (SIA) required under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The gathering suggested that states consider issuing exemptions for metro projects, much like Gujarat and Maharashtra have already done, to speed up implementation timelines. Further, officials called for amendments to the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978, which currently restricts land acquisition powers to the Union government. Granting these powers to metro administrations or state governments could streamline the process, sources told The Indian Express. Alternative revenue streams at metro stations Given that fare collections alone are insufficient to meet operating costs, there was consensus on expanding non-fare revenue streams. Recommendations included: Allowing residential and commercial developments along metro corridors Approving higher floor area ratios for projects near stations Offering long-term land leases Transporting cargo during off-peak hours using metro infrastructure A dedicated committee is expected to be established to explore these ideas further and suggest new policy or legislative frameworks. More parking space at metro stations With parking cited as a key reason for poor ridership in several cities, the need for better parking infrastructure was emphasised. Proposals included constructing multi-level parking and enabling basement parking at underground stations. A separate committee will be tasked with drafting a national metro parking policy.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Residents of Ranganayakulapeta in Nellore asked to evict their lands
The Railway authorities asked the residents of Ranganayakulapeta rail street in Burmashell Gunta of 52nd Division in Nellore to evict the area by Tuesday (May 6) evening. The leaders of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist), meanwhile, offered supported to the residents and assured to fight until they are provided compensation and rehabilitation. YSRCP leader and MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy said, 'These people have been living in Ranganayakulapeta rail street area for more than 100 years. The railway officials should not suddenly come and tell them to evict the lands. Muslim minorities and Dalits live in this area. If they are disturbed, there will be no peace.' According to the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, anyone residing in a government land should not be evicted from their homes without providing proper compensation and rehabilitation. The MLC demanded that a complete investigation should be conducted while compensation and rehabilitation must be provided to all the residents. He spoke to the district Collector, RDO, and Commissioner regarding the matter. He convinced the authorities and requested them not to forcefully evacuate the residents until they are given an alternative. He assured them that the YSRCP would stand by them. CPI(M) district secretary M. Ramesh and city secretary Kathi Srinivasulu also visited the area and met the victims. They requested the authorities to give the residents more time to complete construction of their houses and allocate them TIDCO houses. They added that the fight will continue until justice is served. Minister responds Meanwhile, MA&UD Minister Ponguru Narayana responded to the issue and spoke to the Collector. He directed the officials not to raze even a single house without providing an alternative. He also suggested to allocate TIDCO houses to those losing their houses. Mr. Narayana accused the YSRCP leaders of spreading misinformation for political gain and added that injustice will not be done to the residents under any circumstances.
