A day after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee made her opposition clear to the proposed amendment to the Land Acquisition Act, the Left Front government in West Bengal said it backed governmental role in “acquisition of large tracts of land”.

“Earlier, we have sent our views in response to the Centre’s draft for amending the Act. We believe the government should have a role in case of acquisition for large tracts of land,” said Abdur Rezzak Mollah, Minister in-charge of Land Department, which has a key role in land acquisition in the state.

“Sixty to 70 per cent of land can be acquired by the industrialists; for the rest, if there is any hurdle, the government can help. We have already conveyed the view to the Union government,” said Mollah. “Till the time the Act is amended, we have to acquire land using the existing law, which is definitely a problem for us,” he added.

CPM sources said in its first term, the UPA government had discussed the draft with all concerned parties and that the party had given its opinion. “We are more concerned about compensation for the farmers. Land can be acquired by any party, the government or the industrialists... we have no objection,” said Md Salim, a former CPM MP.

Recently, state finance minister Asim Dasgupta had indicated in the House that the state is open to the idea of land being acquired by industrialists, but the government may interfere when the concerned industrialist fails to “buy” it from the owner.

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