Efforts underway to convince oppn on Land Bill: Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi, April 1: Facing stiff opposition on the Land Acquisition Bill, government on Wednesday said efforts are underway to convince political parties on the measure and expressed hope that a consensus would be evolved as it is willing to accommodate their suggestions.

"All senior ministers are on the job to convince all parties and we are hopeful of a consensus emerging on the Land Bill," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters here.

He said while government had moved nine official amendments to the bill before it was passed by the Lok Sabha, it is willing to accommodate more suggestions to bring the opposition on board.

Naidu's remarks came a day after the Union Cabinet recommended to the President re-promulgation of the Land Ordinance as the one in force now will lapse on April 5. He said BJP wants its MPs to be more enthused about the Land Bill as it is crucial for the country's economic growth.

The issue will be part of the political resolution to be adopted in BJP's National Executive to be held in Bengaluru this week. Meanwhile, sources in the government said the fresh Ordinance will again have to clear the Lok Sabha hurdle before reaching Rajya Sabha since it will be different from the one in force as it will incorporate the nine amendments passed by Lok Sabha.

Naidu said BJP wants its MPs to be more enthused about the Land Bill

The pending measure, titled Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, that was passed in Lok Sabha sought to replace the Ordinance that was promulgated in December.

The Ordinance should have been cleared by Parliament before April 5 if it was to subsist. But the government faced a hurdle in Rajya Sabha, where it could not get the bill to replace it cleared because of lack of adequate numbers.

The issue has united the opposition parties which have jointly mounted a strong campaign against the measure.

PTI