To implement the Land Acquisition Act the Union government on October 14 came up with draft rules, with a focus on consent and social impact assessment to ensure the rights of the farmers were protected when the land was acquired.
The government has published the rules in the public domain to invite comments. Those should be given to the Union Rural Development ministry in 45 days. According to the rules, all social impact assessment documents and consent proceedings will be made publicly available and all requests for information fulfilled in seven days.
Those say consent should be taken in the pre-notification period, with the social impact assessment study to be carried out under the Act.