Consensus on Land Bill must be made quickly: Arun Jaitley

The government on Wednesday said a consensus was needed quickly to pass a business-friendly Land Acquisition Bill, or else a legislative deadlock would have to be broken by allowing federal states to pass their own measures.

"Either the centre must build a coalition and pass the Land Bill quickly, or give the flexibility to the states to pass their own laws," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a news conference.

He spoke after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with the chief ministers of states. Only 16 of 29 chief ministers attended the talks, with Jaitley accusing some from opposition parties of a "boycott".

The government has been unable to pass the bill as it lacks a majority in the upper house of parliament. The bill is a key element in Modi's economic agenda.

The Congress party, which lost a 2014 general election to Modi, opposes the changes, which it denounces as anti-farmer. Another fight over the land bill looms at parliament's monsoon session which is due to begin next week.