The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Package ready for Jala Yagnam-displaced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 06, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Package ready for Jala Yagnam-displaced

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 5. The Government has come out with a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for families that will be displaced by construction of irrigation projects under the proposed Jala Yagnam.

The Cabinet has recently given its assent to the package promising compensation, land and housing schemes to the oustees. The displaced families are entitled for 150 square metres land in the rural areas and in the case of the urban areas, each of the families will get 75 square metres.

Accordingly, the financial package envisaged is as follows: One-time assistance of Rs. 40,000 for house construction, Rs. 10,000 per hectare of degraded or waste land allotted and Rs. 5, 000 if agricultural land is allotted.

Additional benefit

If the families possess cattle wealth, an assistance of Rs. 3, 000 comes as an additional benefit. All families will get Rs. 5,000 each as transportation charges to their new settlements.

For the dislocated artisans, a one-time settlement of Rs. 25, 000 or as fixed by the Government from time to time will be given for construction of worksheds or shops.

In a statement, Ministers -- Mohd. Ali Shabbir, K. Ramakrishna and P. Lakshmaiah -- said here on Tuesday that in case the families were rendered landless, an assistance equivalent to 750 days of minimum agricultural wages would be given to compensate the loss of livelihood if no land was allotted.

To those getting reduced to marginal farmers status due to dislocation, a one-time financial assistance equivalent to 500 days of wages would be given. If the family gets to become a small farmer family, then it would be equivalent to 375 days of minimum agricultural wages.

In the case of non-agricultural labour, the package earmarks wages equivalent to 625 days.

The affected families would also get a subsistence allowance equivalent to 240 days of wages in addition. In case of emergency acquisitions, the affected family gets transit accommodation pending sanction of benefits. Those in possession of forestland prior to October 25, 1980, would get all the benefits. Those enjoying reservations would continue to have the same.

Tribal families

The displaced tribal families would get preferential treatment in land allocation and an extra benefit of 500 days of wages as compensation for losing their customary right over forest produce. Their resettlement would be nearer to their places of displacement. If they were rehabilitated out of tribal belt, an additional 25 per cent benefit was in store in all the packages.

In the case of tribal lands alienated to outsiders in violation of laws, compensation would go to the original tribal owner.

The resettlement centres would be provided with drinking water facility, internal roads, drainage, electricity, primary school buildings, playgrounds, community centres and access roads to the site and in addition all other facilities existing in their acquired villages.

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