Sonia Gandhi vows land reforms
INDIA: India's most powerful politician Sonia Gandhi, on Thursday
promised legislation in Parliament soon to reform land acquisition rules
after deadly clashes near the national capital.
"We will soon bring a bill in parliament on land acquisition," the
ruling national Congress party president told a political rally in the
city of Varanasi in northern Uttar Pradesh state.
The national Congress government is planning to replace the British
colonial era Land Acquisition Act with a new law to reduce conflicts
over valuation of land and minimise social disruption caused by
industrial projects. Earlier this month, two policemen and two farmers
died in clashes in Uttar Pradesh state close to the outskirts of New
Delhi amid protests demanding greater compensation for their land.
Farmers have been staging demonstrations for more than three months
to push for more money for the land, which is to be used for a new
165-kilometre (100 mile) expressway between the city of Agra in Uttar
Pradesh and New Delhi.
Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, India's famed monument to love and the
country's biggest tourist draw. New Delhi, Friday, AFP |