The Hindu : Front Page : West Bengal announces Singur rehabilitation package

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Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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West Bengal announces Singur rehabilitation package

Special Correspondent

Nirupam Sen

KOLKATA: The State Government announced a comprehensive economic rehabilitation package for all those affected in the acquisition of land for the upcoming Tata Motors automobile plant at Singur. There will be no distinction between those who have willingly given away their plots and those said to have done so otherwise.

“We will be trying to integrate the people affected into our overall development plans for the area to ensure them an alternative livelihood that will be economically beneficial,” the State’s Industries Minister, Nirupam Sen, said here on Tuesday.

He ruled out the possibility of providing alternative land to any section of the peasants whose land has been acquired. Neither could any portion of the land acquired be returned as there were legal obstacles and also that would mean calling off the project, Mr. Sen said.

Traning programmes

Apart from the compensation being paid to the affected peasants, the package envisages providing training to them to facilitate their economic rehabilitation. Nearly 1,228 persons had already been incorporated in different training programmes, Mr. Sen said.

“The intention is to ensure how all affected can be incorporated in the economic activities that will be generated through the project…We will have to see that those affected are not only given compensation but to see that they can be self-reliant,” Mr. Sen said.

“A socio-economic survey is being done to decide on what sort of income generating and community development activities the local people there can be engaged in to ensure that none is affected financially,” the minister said. “If we find that any family is not included in such activity their cases too will be specifically considered,” he said.

Where else in the country have bargadars been given compensation even before the project has taken off and training is being provided to the extent it is being done in connection with the Singur project with the State Government bearing the expenses? Mr Sen wondered.

In reference to the Opposition’s protests against the land acquisition at Singur, Mr Sen said that while “political parties had a right to agitate” he would keep trying “to build a consensus over how industry can help the local people in developing their livelihood even though in a democracy it is difficult to build a consensus on all issues.”

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