Jairam defies Cabinet colleagues on land bill

New Delhi: Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said he would not dilute the compensation package and rehabilitation norms in the draft land acquisition bill,throwing a challenge at ministerial colleagues who last week dubbed it anti-industry to block its approval by the Cabinet.

This bill is part of the political agenda of Congress and we are a political party.These people should know we are in government,they are ministers because of Congress, he told TOI,breaking his silence after five days of lobbying with the Congress leadership,including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,for the bill.He said the bill would be brought to Parliament in the winter session.
Ramesh said on Monday,Compensation,R&R and social impact assessment, provision like consent of 80% landowners,are like the basic structure of the Constitution. They cannot be tampered with. He said the provisions,attacked by his Cabinet colleagues as increasing costs for industry,were non-negotiable.

Source:http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=3&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=CAP&mydateHid=04-09-2012&pubname=&edname=&publabel=TOI