Special provision to safeguard food security

Special provision to safeguard food security.—(1) No irrigated multi-cropped land shall be acquired under this Act, except in exceptional circumstances, as a demonstrable last resort.

1. (2) Whenever multi-cropped irrigated land is acquired, an equivalent area of culturable wasteland shall be developed for agricultural purposes or an amount equivalent to the value of land acquired shall be deposited with the appropriate Government for investment in agriculture for enhancing food-security.
2. (3) In any land acquisition, where the area of land acquired is such that it shall cause substantial adverse impact on food security, a multi-disciplinary Impact Assessment, including impact on food security, shall be carried out in the manner prescribed by the appropriate Government.
3. (4) The appropriate Government shall, after consideration of the Impact Assessment referred to in sub-section (3), if satisfied that the adverse impact on food security is unavoidable, notify the area of land for which such relaxation is applicable.