Modi shelves land bill after first direct blow to his economic reforms

New Delhi

IN the first direct blow to his ambitious economic reform agenda, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has had to row back on a business-friendly land Bill amid fierce parliamentary opposition.

The government has not given up on making it easier to acquire land needed to kick-start hundreds of billions of dollars in stalled projects, but after failing to win support in Parliament may ask states to pass their own laws. "We realise that currently we don't have the numbers to pass it," a leader in Mr Modi's ruling party told Reuters. "By reducing the heat on this we will be able to get other things passed."