Indian govt again issues land acquisition order

New Delhi

THE Indian government has issued an executive order for the third time to make it easier to buy farmland for large projects after failing to win parliamentary for a controversial land bill championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The ordinance was approved at a cabinet meeting on Saturday chaired by Mr Modi. It will replace an existing ordinance that implemented the bill pending parliamentary approval, and needs the president's signature to take effect. "The land ordinance has been cleared again by the cabinet to maintain continuity and we will ensure that farmers don't face hardship on compensation," cabinet minister Ravishankar Prasad told reporters after the meeting.