Publication of corrigendum under Section 3a

## Policy Analysis Report: Amendment to National Highways Act, 1956 Regarding Land Acquisition in Keonjhar, Odisha **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes an amendment to a notification under the National Highways Act, 1956, concerning land acquisition in Keonjhar, Odisha. The amendment, dated April 12, 2022, modifies the authority responsible for land acquisition related to NH-215, replacing the Special Land Acquisition Officer with the Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH-6, Keonjhar. This change likely aims to streamline the land acquisition process by consolidating responsibilities under a single authority. The key finding is a shift in administrative responsibility for land acquisition within a specific geographic area and highway project. **2. Introduction:** This report provides an analysis of an amendment notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, pertaining to land acquisition under the National Highways Act, 1956. The analysis is based solely on the text of the provided notification dated April 12, 2022. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Original Policy Being Amended:** The amendment refers to and modifies notification S.O. 794(E) dated April 26, 2011, which was previously amended via S.O. 2460(E) dated October 13, 2012, S.O. 242(E) dated January 14, 2016, and S.O. 3958(E) dated December 21, 2017. These earlier notifications also pertain to land acquisition under the National Highways Act, 1956. * **Core Objective(s):** The original policy and its subsequent amendments, including this one, are inferred to aim for facilitating land acquisition for National Highway projects. This specific amendment seeks to refine the administrative processes for land acquisition. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment likely stems from a need to consolidate or streamline land acquisition activities in Keonjhar, Odisha. The text suggests the previous arrangement involved a "Special Land Acquisition Officer, NH215, Keonjhar." The amendment eliminates this special officer, transferring the responsibility to the "Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar." This implies that the original structure might have been redundant, inefficient, or required rationalization. It could also be driven by an optimization of resource allocation. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification introduces a specific change within the previously established framework for land acquisition. * **Specific Part of Original Policy Being Changed:** The schedule to notification No. 3958 E dated 21st December, 2017. * **New Rule/Provision:** The entry "Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar" may be substituted for the entry "Special Land Acquisition Officer, NH215, Keonjhar". * **Difference/Effect of Change:** The primary effect is the transfer of responsibility for land acquisition related to NH-215 in Keonjhar from a special officer to the existing Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority handling NH-6. This suggests a consolidation of land acquisition responsibilities under one authority, potentially leading to administrative simplification and efficiency. The Special Land Acquisition Unit, NH6, Keonjhar is disbanding. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The direct stakeholders affected by this change include: * **Landowners along NH-215 in Keonjhar, Odisha:** They will now interact with a different authority (Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar) regarding land acquisition matters. * **NHAI (National Highways Authority of India):** The agency is responsible for national highway development and will need to coordinate with the new designated authority. * **The Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar:** This entity will now have an expanded scope of responsibility. * **Construction Companies involved in NH-215 Projects:** Changes to land acquisition processes could potentially impact project timelines and coordination. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is the issuing authority. The Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar, becomes responsible for land acquisition related to NH-215. * **Timelines/Procedures:** No specific timelines are detailed in the amendment itself. However, it is likely that the change is effective immediately upon publication in the Gazette of India. Procedures for land acquisition would remain consistent with the overall National Highways Act, 1956, with the designated authority now being the Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar. * **Specifically to the Changes:** The key implementation aspect is the transfer of files, responsibilities, and ongoing cases from the Special Land Acquisition Officer, NH-215 to the Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH-6. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcome of this amendment is to streamline and potentially expedite the land acquisition process for NH-215 in Keonjhar by consolidating responsibilities under the Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority for NH-6. This could lead to reduced administrative overhead, improved coordination, and potentially faster project implementation. However, the success of this change depends on the capacity and efficiency of the receiving authority (Land Acquisition Officer/Competent Authority, NH6, Keonjhar). **9. Conclusion:** The amendment to the National Highways Act, 1956 notification represents a targeted administrative adjustment regarding land acquisition responsibilities in Keonjhar, Odisha. By consolidating land acquisition duties under a single authority, the amendment aims to enhance efficiency and streamline the process for NH-215 projects. This change is significant because it directly impacts the administrative framework for land acquisition, potentially affecting project timelines and stakeholder interactions.

Key Entities Referenced