75 Table 1. People Displaced by Development Projects Others 0.5 Wild life and sanctuaries 0.6 Industrial development Mines 1.25 2.55 Dams Total 16.4 21.3 Source: Lok Sabha no provisions for rehabilitation and resettlement. It also offered very low rates of compensation not based on actual market rates. This caused huge losses to persons who had to give up their land and simultaneously, their livelihood. Even after India achieved independence, it adopted this archaic legislation. Reforms were instituted in 2013, with the enactment of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (also known as the Land Acquisition Act of 2013). Under this Act, except for when land is acquired for “public purpose,” informed consent is to be taken from 80 percent of people affected in case the land is acquired for private companies, and 70 percent when it is acquired for public-private projects. In cases of acquisition, the affected families have to be compensated with four times the market value of the land in rural areas and with two times the land market value in the urban areas. Further, the government is obligated to conduct Social Impact Assessments for each project to assess the benefit of the project against the probable social impact it will cause. In spite of such a progressive law, a large number of conflicts over land acquisition still come up. Currently, transfer is done in accordance with the doctrine of eminent domain. This doctrine means that the land can be acquired by the State for “public purposes” and adequate compensation has to be given. CONCEPT OF “PUBLIC PURPOSE” Section 2(1) of Land Acquisition Act of 2013 provides a very broad, inclusive definition of the term “public purpose.” “Public purpose,” according to the Act, includes provision for village sites, town planning, planned development India Land Conflict Monitoring Report Numbers in millions