Under the land rehabilitation policy cleared by the cabinet today, states can acquire up to 30 per cent of the land for industry projects, including special economic zones, but must keep farmland takeover to a minimum and try and avoid multi-crop land altogether. Bengal industries minister Nirupam Sen, however, said the 30 per cent cap on government acquisition of land would not work in his state, where landholdings are small and a single objector can hold up a private developer’s efforts to buy directly. One key feature of the National Policy on Rehabilitation and Resettlement, 2007, is that gram sabhas (village councils) must be consulted on the rehabilitation package before land takeover, dissenting opinion recorded and attempts made to persuade the council to agree. The policy discourages speculative transactions of land acquired for public purposes and says such land can be transferred for other works of public interest only with government permission. Read More