Telangana land acquisition bill: Centre raises fresh queries

HYDERABAD: In a move that could delay completion of irrigation projects in the state, the Union law ministry has raised fresh queries on the new land acquisition bill passed by the Telangana assembly. While the queries related to technical aspects and the date of implementation were answered by the government, new questions from the

Centre

is all set to delay the enactment further.

The state is firm on completing land acquisition for its key irrigation and highway projects by speeding up the process under the new Act, which needs the crucial nod from the Centre.

The bill after clearance of the law ministry would go to Union home ministry that would place it befo re the President for the assent. Not to leave anything to chance, state go vernment sent spe cial chief secretary BR Meena, who camped for four da ys in New Delhi to follow up the process. The “Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Telangana amendment) Act 2016 was passed in December last and sent for the President's assent.

Sensing litigation from the environmental activists, the Centre has asked `additional information' before sending it to the President. Since the Centre has already assured the state of clearing it as early as possible, the government was hopeful of having the Act published in the gazette in the first week of April.

But with repeated queries, it did not happen. “We have given whatever information they asked from the state government.All concerned departments were briefed about the objectives of the new law and their response is very positive,“ BR Meena told TOI. The Union surface transport ministry ment ministry , rural develop,

National Highways Authority of India

also raised several issues over the new land bill. “All of them were answered effectively ,“ said Meena.With several changes suggested by the Centre, the state government need to re-submit the bill to the assembly to get the amendments passed.

Only after the amendments incorporated in the final bill, it should be placed before the President, sources said. The TRS government is yet to take a decision on convening a special session of assembly to clear the final land bill. Legal experts also advising government to take Ordinance route to include the amendments to make up the delay. But the final decision will be taken on the advice of Union law ministry which might raise objection to the Ordinance route, added the sources.