The authority of the district administrations for acquiring land will be increased under an amendment to the relevant law now under process.

According to existing laws, the deputy commissioners have the authority to acquire land upto 10 bighas at a time.This limit will be increased to 50 bighas if a bill to amend the laws enacted in 1982 is passed by Parliament.

The draft of the bill — The Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Act 1994 — which has been already okayed by the Cabinet, will be placed before Parliament soon.

Justifying enhancement of the district administration's authority to acquire lands, an official source said the present law does not permit the DCs to acquire more than 10 bighas at a time without per mission from the Ministry of ■ Land. To obtain such prior clearance from the ministry, much time is wasted resulting in delay In implementing development projects." the source said.

Besides raising the land acquisition limit, the bill proposes fixation of time limit for the payment of compensation to those affected by the acquisition of immovable property. Presently, there is no time limit under law for such payments which causes sufferings to the people. The amended act will specify a certain pe riod during which the compensation must be paid.

Under the-present law. the owner gets the compensation for standing crops on the acquired land depriving the bar gadar (share-cropper). The draft amendment to the law ' Incorporates provisions for compensation to the affected Bargadars also.

The draft bill also proposes some other amendments regarding arbitrations for compensation.

The amendment to the 1982 laws was initiated in 1992 and a Cabinet Committee was fqrmed for this . The re port of the committee was ap proved by the Cabinet in January this year while the draft amendments were prepared by the Ministry of Land on the basis of that report.