Draft of new land acquisition Bill ready
Amid a controversy over land acquisition norms, the government has firmed up the draft of a new Bill that makes consent of 80% of land owners mandatory before the purchase of land.
The new draft acquisition Bill, which is expected to be unveiled in the next few days, includes recommendations of Congress chief Sonia Gandhiled National Advisory Council (NAC) and goes even a step further.
“In many ways it is an improvement of what the NAC has said,“ N.C. Saxena, a member of the panel, said after a discussion on the draft Bill chaired by rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday.
Karunanindhi to continue to lead DMK
The Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) on Sunday, in a resolution passed at a two day general council meet, said M. Karunanidhi will continue to lead the party and gave no indication of pulling out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition at the Centre.
The relationship between the DMK and the Congress has been strained since the arrest of Karunanidhi's daughter, M. Kanimozhi, a member of the Rajya Sabha, in connection with the second generation (2G) telecom spectrum scam.
On Sunday, Karunanidhi said his party will maintain a status quo with the Congress, and that it will not seek replacements for former telecom minister A. Raja, who has also been arrested in connection with the 2G scam, and former textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran, who resigned from the cabinet.
Supporters of DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin had on Saturday pitched for a greater role for him, a move that was opposed M.K. Alagiri's followers. The matter was laid to rest after an upset Karunanidhi reportedly asked the council whether it wanted him to step down.
(Source-mintlive.com)