Amid talks about the Centre taking the Ordinance route for the Food Security Bill, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday disfavoured a similar move for the legislation on land Acquisition.
Expressing confidence, in getting the support of all parties for the land Acquisition Bill, Ramesh said, “I would be very hesitant to bring it through an Ordinance.” He was asked if he would prefer this route for the Bill.
Both the land Acquisition Bill and the Food Security Bill are priority legislations for the UPA but are stuck for long giving the ruling dispensation sleepless nights in view of the Assembly polls in five States this year and the general election in 2014.
Ramesh said so far there is no discussion in the Government on bringing ordinance on the land Acquisition Bill. “All I can say is that... On land Acquisition Bill, my personal preference would be to go through with a debate and discussion in the Monsoon Session or a Special Session. We have got an all-party consensus on the bill,” he said.
Noting that the land Bill has gone through “unprecedented all-party efforts”, Ramesh said two “crucial amendments” suggested by BJP leader and leader of Opposition in the lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, have been incorporated “in toto to her satisfaction”.
“I have accepted four amendments suggested by (CPI-M leader) Basudeb Acharia. There was an all-party consensus. So I don’t expect any problem with the bill if Parliament is allowed to function,” Ramesh said.