Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 1: For the first time, Jammu and Kashmir is going to have its own comprehensive Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy and the draft of the same prepared by the Revenue Department is being submitted to the State Cabinet shortly for discussion and approval. The policy is aimed at ensuring that people to be affected due to the execution of major projects in power, roads, railways and industries sectors do not remain deprived of their rightful claim of rehabilitation and compensation and all the issues are resolved at the stage of placing of indent.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that though the Union Government had made a suggestion to the States for preparing their own R&R Policy in 2010-11 yet in Jammu and Kashmir the authorities concerned remained in oblivion till early this year despite the fact that non-rehabilitation of people affected due to Baglihar Hydroelectric Project was sufficient to awake them from the deep slumber.
“Recently, the Revenue Department found the suggestion of the Union Government of immense importance especially when mega railway, highway and power projects are being executed in the State and several such projects particularly in power sector are in the pipeline and set in motion an exercise to formulate the R&R policy”, sources said. The draft of the policy has been prepared and the same will be placed before the Cabinet for its approval shortly. Following the approval to the R&R Policy, the Revenue Department will also carry out suitable amendment in the Land Acquisition Act.
In the absence of any comprehensive R&R policy of the Government, the people being affected due to mega infrastructure development projects have been finding it difficult to get timely compensation for the land acquired for the projects and rehabilitated in case of dislocation, sources said. At present, the fate of these people is decided under the R&R Plans of the project executing agencies, which even vary from project to project.
When contacted, Minister of State for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Aijaz Khan confirmed that R&R Policy has been prepared and said that Cabinet will take final call on the same shortly. “The basic objective of framing comprehensive policy is to ensure timely justice to the affected people and the main focus will be to ensure that their livelihood don’t get snatched besides making payment of compensation and helping them in rehabilitation”, he added. The rehabilitation of affected populace would be made in such a manner that they are not cut off from their cultural ethos.
Under the policy, new methodology will be adopted while working out compensation for the affected populace. The compensation for the land will be on the basis of market value in the area and in case of acquiring of agriculture and orchards land, the loss to be suffered by the people on account of crop and produce for next 10 to 15 years would be included in the compensation amount, sources informed.
In case of some business establishments including shops coming under any project, not only the owners will get compensation even steps would be taken to ensure rehabilitation of tenants, who under the prevailing circumstances don’t get even single penny despite losing their source of livelihood, sources disclosed.
There would also be provision under the R&R Policy for ensuring employment to the one member of the affected family in the project besides construction of colony for the affected populace in case of cluster dislocation, they said. The policy would also take care of ensuring skill development of local youth and then their engagement in the projects particularly those in the power sector.
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