Not in favour of bringing amendments in land bill: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram: A week before the Niti Aayog meeting which is scheduled to take up the new land bill for consideration, the Congress-led UDF government on Wednesday said it was not in favour of bringing amendments in the legislation brought out by the previous UPA government.

"The land bill brought by UPA government well protected the interests of farmers and so government is of the view that there is no need for any amendments", Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Wednesday.

Chandy also indicated that he might miss the second meeting of Niti Aayog called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi next Wednesday to discuss the land bill.

"As the assembly session is on,I do not think that I will be able to attend the meeting," Chandy said.

"I will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Vice president Rahul Gandhi if I get time during the visit to Delhi," he added.

Chandy also dismissed as baseless the reports about the high command not in favour of awarding the contract for the development Rs 7,000 crore Vizhinjam Deepsea International Terminal project here to Adani Ports due to the firm's reported proximity to the BJP top leadership.

Government has decided to go ahead with the project and would proceed further with steps to sign the MoU after due procedures.

"No one need to have any anxiety over the project", he said.

Asked whether the project would be given to Adani itself, Chandy replied in positive saying that Adani was the sole bidder for the project.

There were media reports that the delay in signing the MoU approved by the state cabinet two weeks ago was due to displeasure expressed by Congress in the matter.