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Govt can return acquired land if unused for 5 yrs

The new Land Bill ? cleared by the Union Cabinet last week ? gives the government an ?option? to return the acquired land to its original owners if it remains unutilised for 60 months.

The new Land Bill ? cleared by the Union Cabinet last week ? gives the government an ?option? to return the acquired land to its original owners if it remains unutilised for 60 months.

Land owners can then transfer such land acquired by the government for its own use or PPP projects involving public purpose to any private entity/individuals. At its earlier deliberations, the rural development ministry, the nodal body for the land Bill, had rejected the suggestions of a Parliamentary panel for returning the unutilised land to original owners.

Now, the rural development ministry has modified Clause 95 of the new Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Bill, 2011. This clause makes it clear that any land acquired under the new legislation, if unutilised for five years, can be returned to the owner or to a land bank of the government.

?When any land acquired under this Act remains unutilised for five years from the date of taking possession, the same shall return to original land owner or their legal heirs as the case may be.? The clause continues to read that such a land can also be returned to the land bank.

The Bill, as introduced in Parliament on September 7, 2011, did not include the provision for return of acquired land to land owners.

The rural development ministry has introduced this significant change after several state governments and the relevant Parliamentary panel batted for return of land to the original owners if those concerned are able to use it for the stated purpose even five years after acquisition, sources said.

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First published on: 18-12-2012 at 00:57 IST
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