Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013

The LARR Act, 2013 requires rehabilitation and resettlement support for families affected by land acquisition, in addition to compensation for acquired land. Its Second Schedule specifies family-level entitlements, while its Third Schedule specifies infrastructure and amenities at resettlement sites; eligibility depends on displacement, livelihood loss and other statutory conditions.

Who receives rehabilitation and resettlement benefits?

Protection extends beyond landowners to qualifying families whose livelihoods depend on the acquired land. Under Section 31, the Collector must issue a separate rehabilitation and resettlement award for each affected family.

• The definition of affected family includes qualifying agricultural labourers, tenants, sharecroppers, artisans, forest-rights holders and others whose primary livelihood is affected.
• Several livelihood-dependent categories must establish the statutory connection with the affected area for three years before acquisition.
• Not every affected family receives every benefit: housing and relocation assistance depend on displacement, while other entitlements have their own eligibility conditions.

Housing, land and livelihood restoration

The Second Schedule combines replacement housing with measures intended to restore livelihoods.

• Families losing their houses through displacement receive housing support: rural housing follows the specified government housing standard, while urban housing must have at least 50 square metres of plinth area.
• For irrigation projects, eligible agricultural landowners receive agricultural land in the command area, subject to the Schedule's conditions.
• For urbanisation projects, 20% of developed land must be reserved and offered to landowning affected families proportionately, subject to statutory pricing and adjustment conditions.
• Families receive a choice among employment for at least one member where jobs are created through the project, a one-time payment of ₹5 lakh, or an annuity of at least ₹2,000 per month for 20 years, indexed to the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers.

Financial assistance for displaced families

• Each displaced affected family receives a subsistence allowance of ₹3,000 per month for one year.
• Each displaced affected family receives ₹50,000 for transportation of the family, belongings, building materials and cattle.
• Each affected family receives a one-time resettlement allowance of ₹50,000.
• Eligible families with cattle or petty shops receive assistance of at least ₹25,000 for a cattle shed or petty shop.
• Eligible artisans, small traders and specified self-employed families receive one-time livelihood assistance of at least ₹25,000.

Community facilities and additional safeguards

The Third Schedule requires resettlement-site facilities such as roads, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, schools, health facilities and community spaces.

• Sections 41 and 42 provide additional protections for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, including safeguards concerning displacement, community rehabilitation and continuation of specified benefits.