GO 470 land acquisition compensation rules and AP farmer protests
Source:The Hindu ↗
Why It Matters
Land acquisition and equitable compensation are critical governance issues. For APPSC Group 1, state-specific government orders (like G.O. 470) and their intersection with central legislations (like the LARR Act, 2013) are highly relevant for questions on state policies, agricultural socio-economics, and land reforms.
Summary
The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham is urging the State government to revoke G.O. No. 470, arguing it unfairly reduces the compensation owed to farmers under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. The controversial order introduces a tiered compensation structure based on the land's proximity to urban limits, offering only 5% additional compensation for lands within a 2 km radius, 10% for distances between 2 and 5 km, and 25% for lands beyond 5 km. Farmers claim this move denies them fair remuneration for lands acquired for public projects.
Key Points
- The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham has demanded the immediate withdrawal of G.O. 470, which they claim reduces compensation for farmers whose lands are acquired for public projects.
- The farmers are protesting that the G.O. contravenes the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, regarding fair compensation.
- Under the new norms in G.O. 470, additional compensation is tiered based on distance from urban limits: 5% for land within a 2 km radius, 10% for 2 to 5 km, and 25% for land beyond 5 km.
- The farmers had previously approached the High Court in 2019 seeking rightful compensation under the 2013 Act, but the State government has recently issued the contentious G.O. 470.
Important Terms
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
A central legislation regulating land acquisition in India, ensuring fair market-value compensation, mandatory rehabilitation, resettlement, and social impact assessments for affected families.
UPSC context
GS Paper III (Land Reforms, Infrastructure). Tests legal provisions for safeguarding land ownership rights and socio-economic justice.
Government Order (G.O.) No. 470
An executive order of the Andhra Pradesh government establishing a tiered additional compensation scheme (5% to 25%) based on the proximity of acquired land to municipal limits.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (State Government Policies). Tests understanding of federalism, executive powers, and issues in state-level land acquisition rules.
Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham
A prominent state-level peasant union in Andhra Pradesh, affiliated with the All India Kisan Sabha, that advocates for farmers' rights, fair crop prices, and land compensation.
UPSC context
GS Paper II (Pressure Groups). Tests understanding of agrarian mobilization and the role of civil society in policy influence.
Land Acquisition Act, 2013
A common reference to the central legislation that replaced the colonial-era 1894 Act, regulating land acquisition and mandating fair compensation, rehabilitation, and resettlement in India.
UPSC context
GS Paper III (Land Reforms). Tests knowledge of legal evolution in land acquisitions and development-induced displacement issues.
Prelims Trap
"Land acquisition falls exclusively under the State List of the Seventh Schedule."
'Acquisition and requisitioning of property' is under the Concurrent List (Entry 42), not the State List. Both Parliament and States can legislate on it.
Static Concepts Connected
How is compensation calculated under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013?
- Market Value: Calculated as the highest of average sale deeds, stamp duty value, or consented amount.
- Multiplier Factor: Applied to market value; 1 for urban areas, and sliding between 1 and 2 for rural areas, as notified by the respective State government.
- 100% Solatium: A mandatory 100% amount added on top of the calculated compensation (market value x multiplier) for all acquisitions to ease the burden of displacement.
What are the key constitutional provisions regarding property and land acquisition?
- Article 300A: Downgraded from a Fundamental Right by the 44th Amendment; it mandates that no person shall be deprived of their property save by authority of law.
- Entry 42 (List III): Places 'acquisition and requisitioning of property' in the Concurrent List, empowering both the Centre and States to frame laws.
- Doctrine of Repugnancy: If a State law on a concurrent subject (like land acquisition) conflicts with a Central Act, the Central Act prevails unless the State measure receives Presidential assent.
Cross-Topic Patterns
State amendments to Concurrent Central laws
Similar to state-level variations in Labour Codes or the repealed Farm Laws, states frequently alter concurrent subjects (like LARR 2013), invoking Article 254 which requires Presidential assent to bypass Central mandates.
Infrastructure bottlenecks vs. Fair compensation
PM Gati Shakti and the National Infrastructure Pipeline frequently cite land acquisition costs and delays as primary bottlenecks, highlighting the friction between fair farmer compensation and rapid urbanization goals.
Expect a Prelims question testing the interplay of Concurrent List Entry 42, Article 300A, and state-level multipliers under the 2013 Act.
Linked PYQs · 2
Linked PYQs · 2
- 2023APPSC_PRELIMSGS1
The CCRC introduced by Government of Andhra Pradesh stands for
- 2024APPSC_PRELIMSGS1
Which of the following statement/statements is/are valid regarding the socio-economic status of Andhra Pradesh ? I. Andhra Pradesh won the Best State Award of ICAR - National Research Center for Banana (NRCB) for export promotion. II. Andhra Pradesh GSDP growth rate has been registering a decline in recent times owing to repeated lower returns in certain sub-sectors of the Service Sector. III. For the FY 2024 - 25, the Revenue Deficit is budgeted higher than the Fiscal Deficit in terms of percentage of Andhra Pradesh GSDP. IV. The technology used by the Government of Andhra Pradesh while conducting resurvey of landholdings is referred to as 'Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS)' technology. Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
