HYDERABAD: Just a day after the government had claimed that the Union law ministry approved the state government’s Land Acquisition Bill, the Bill was sent back to the state government on Tuesday for making “suitable amendments” to it.
The state government is all set to convene the State Assembly session, again, for making suitable amendments to the Bill as desired by the Union law ministry.
Two months back, the state government, as directed by the Centre, amended the Central Government’s Land Acquisition Act, 2013, for implementing the same in Telangana. Later, it sent the Bill for President’s assent as was done by several other states.
The Union home ministry approved the Land Acquisition Bill and sent it to the Union law ministry for its clearance. On Monday, when chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was in Delhi, he met Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad seeking approval for the Bill and sending the same to the President for his assent.
“The CM requested him (Ravi Shankar Prasad) to get approval for the new Land Acquisition Act passed by the TS Assembly. The CM said the oustees will get major benefit in short time under the new Act and the construction of projects will gain pace. The Union law minister immediately gave his ministry’s approval and assured his ministry’s cooperation on the matter," the CMO release said on Monday.
However, the fact is that the law ministry wanted more clarifications and sent the Bill back.
On Tuesday, chief secretary SP Singh held an emergency meeting with revenue and other officials. Official sources said Singh and officials discussed the amendments suggested by Union law ministry. The law ministry informed the state that they were suggesting minor amendments to the TS Land Acquisition Bill for the benefit of the state in future.
“Any amendment to the Bill, approved by the Assembly, should be made again in the Assembly,” an official, who was part of the emergency meeting, said.
However, official sources refused to disclose the amendments suggested by the Union law ministry. Officials said the Assembly would be convened again.
Rao, after his return from Delhi on Monday, drove straight to Raj Bhavan and held discussions with the Governor. However, even if the Assembly made amendments to the Bill this week and sent the revised Bill to the Centre again, the home, law and other ministries have to vet the Bill again before sending it for President’s assent. It will take another two to three months.