Q1) Do you think that the new Land Acquisition Law has helped in solving the problems of the

farmers in the nation? Give three reasons for your stand?

The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Act, 2013 to some extent adequately
resolve the problems of the farmers due to the following provisions:

1. Retrospective Effect: Where compensation has been awarded but has not been paid or
possession has not been taken, compensation shall be paid at the rate prescribed in the
new Act.
2. Consent: Prior consent from 70% of land losers in case of PPP projects and 80% in case
of private companies. Consent includes consent to the amount of compensation to be
paid.
3. Share in sale of acquired land increased: The share that has to be distributed among
farmers in the increased land value has been set at 40%.
4. Strict restrictions on multi-crop acquisition: The acquisition of agricultural land and
multi-crop land has to be carried out as a last resort. There will be definite restrictions
on the extent of acquisition of such land in every state to be determined by the States
concerned.
5. Damage to crops to be included in price: The final award has to include damage to any
standing crops which might have been harmed due to the process of acquisition.
6. Share in developed land: In case their land is acquired for urbanization purposes 20% of
the developed land will be reserved and offered to these farmers in proportion to the
area of their land acquired and at a price equal to the cost of acquisition and the cost of
development.

Q2) Should we take away arable land for purposes of construction of roads and factories in a
scenario where the population is rapidly increasing and there is need for more food? Why or
why not? Mention two points.

Yes, we can take away arable land for the prupose of construction of roads and factories. The
reasons for it are:

1. If non-arable land is not available and the aforesaid project promotes the development
of a larger area or country as a whole. For e.g., for national security purposes, National
Highways etc.
2. As stated by various economists a unit area of land used for agriculture has lesser
productivity when compared to productivity in case of industrial activity. Moreover
industrial activity also generates new job and promotes development of the overall area. If
India needs to develop at a rapid pace there is a growing need for industrial advancement
which will require diverting some agricultural/non-agricultural land towards the industrial
sector.

The current Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Act, 2013 does have safeguards for
maintaining food security for the country. Some of them are:

1. Special provisions have been inserted in the Law to ensure that multi-crop land is
acquired only as a last resort.
 2. States are also required to impose limits on the area of agricultural/ multi-crop land that
can be acquired in a State. No acquisition of such lands in excess of that limit can take
place.
3. When acquiring agricultural land, the state has to cultivate an equivalent area of land
elsewhere as agricultural land. If they cannot do this then they must deposit an amount
equivalent to its value in an account to be used for the purposes of enhancing food
security.

Q3) Suggest an alternative way of acquiring land from the farmers of the nation. Address the
question of feasibility in your answer.

Some of the alternative ways of acquiring land from farmers could be:

1. Land Pooling: The farmers pool their land together and receive proportionate
shareholding of the development company that would thus be created for creating a
township. In this way the farmers could retain the ownership of the land. The
development company could easily raise loan from a bank. Magarpatta township, a
satellite township of Pune provides an interesting case study for the same.
2.