Date:06/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/06/stories/2005040602291700.htm

Back Package ready for project affected families in AP

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , April 5

THE State Government has worked out a relief and rehabilitation plan for the families, which would be displaced, consequent to the construction of large irrigation projects planned under the Jala Yagnam initiative.

The Cabinet had recently given its okay to the package, which seeks to provide compensation, land and housing to the affected.

In all, about 26 irrigation projects are to be completed at a cost of Rs 46,000 crore in the next five years. The thrust is to create irrigation potential in an additional ayacut area of 65 lakh acres.

A committee constituted by the Government to go into the issue of resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected families (PAFs) studied the policies being adopted by other States such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, and arrived at a "more practical and more useful" policy.

According to an official release issued by three Ministers, Mr P. Laxmaiah (major irrigation), Mr Mohd. Ali Shabbir (Information) and Mr K. Ramakrishna (Commercial Taxes) the proposed financial package essentially involves:

The displaced families losing houses shall be allotted free of cost house site to an extent of 150 sq. metre in rural areas and 75 sq. metre in urban areas;

A one-time financial assistance of Rs 40,000 for construction of house;

In the case of allotment of waste or degraded or agricultural land, the allottees shall be given a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per hectare, and in case of allotment of agricultural land Rs 5,000 will be given;

If the families to be affected have cattle, a financial assistance of Rs 3,000 shall be given. A one-time payment of Rs 5,000 shall be given towards transportation costs for each of the families;

In case of rural artisans a one-time settlement of Rs 25,000 or as fixed by the Government from time-to-time shall be given for construction of workshed or shops;

In case the family becomes landless, assistance equivalent to 750 days minimum agricultural wages for "loss of livelihood" to be given, if no land is allotted;

To those who shall be reduced to the status of marginal farmers, a one-time financial assistance equivalent to 500 days minimum agricultural wages, if no land is allotted;

If the family becomes a small farmer family, then financial assistance to the tune of 375 days minimum agricultural wages to be paid;

Likewise, non-agricultural labour to be displaced shall be given 625 days of wages.

The PAF families will also get subsistence allowance equivalent to 240 days of wages in addition to the above mentioned benefits.