Land ordinance lapses today, as promised by PM Narendra Modi on 'Mann ki Baat'

New Delhi: The land acquisition ordinance lapses on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed not to renew it.

During his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, Modi had said that a statutory order would ensure that farmers get higher compensation for their land under 13 other central acts including those for highways and railways.

The PM, in his nearly 20-minute address, said there were 13 points, referring to already existing acts for acquiring land.

He said the rules would be changed to give farmers higher benefit under these laws.

Modi said a statutory order was being brought to include 13 central Acts to extend benefits to those farmers whose land is acquired.

According to official sources, a statutory order issued by the government will ensure that farmers whose land are acquired under the 13 acts like the Land Acquisition (Mines) Act, 1885, the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978, and the National Highways Act, 1956, get higher compensation.

The executive order issued under Section 113 of the land acquisition law, enacted by the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, extends compensation and resettlement benefits under the law to the land acquired under 13 central acts so far not covered.

This would mean the land acquired for any purpose would now be eligible for the high compensation and resettlement under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 -- the UPA version of the Act.

The ordinance was brought after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government failed to get its amended land acquisition bill passed in Parliament. The ordinance has so far been re-promulgated thrice.

The NDA's land acquisition bill is with a joint committee of Parliament.

The ordinance can also not be reissued as the Monsoon Session, which was not prorogued after scheduled sittings ended on August 13. An ordinance cannot be repromulgated when Parliament session is on.

(With IANS inputs)