Land acquisition refers to the process by which the government acquires private land for public purposes, such as the construction of public infrastructure, such as roads, railways, airports, or public buildings. The purpose of land acquisition is to ensure that land is made available for public use, which may not be possible through voluntary negotiations with the landowner.
Land acquisition is often required for the development of infrastructure projects that are of national or public importance. The government is required to compensate the landowners for the land acquired, and the compensation should be fair and just, taking into account the market value of the land and any other losses incurred by the landowner due to the acquisition.
The concept of land acquisition is governed by the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in India. However, this act has been criticized for not adequately protecting the interests of the landowners and for not taking into account the social and environmental impacts of land acquisition.
In response to these criticisms, the Indian government passed a new land acquisition law in 2013, called the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LARR), which replaced the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The LARR Act provides for fair compensation, rehabilitation, and resettlement of landowners who are affected by the acquisition of their land.