India announces new rehab and resettlement policy
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In the face of growing resentment due to large-scale displacement of people on account of acquisition of land for various developmental projects, the central government yesterday approved the National Policy on Rehabilitation and Resettlement, 2007, replacing the National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation for Project Affected Families, 2003. The antiquated Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is also be suitably amended to conform to the new policy.
Coming close on the heels of extension of national rural employment guarantee scheme to all districts of the country, this is the second major policy decision announced by the government. Aiming at striking a balance between the need for land for developmental activities and interests of the affected people, the new Policy assures to give a better deal to all those whose livelihood depends on the land to be acquired. The benefits to be offered to the affected families under the new Policy include land-for-land, preference for employment in the project to at least one person from each nuclear family, scholarship for education to eligible persons, preference to groups or cooperatives of the affected persons in the allotment of contracts and other economic opportunities in or around the project site, wage employment to the willing affected persons in the construction work, housing benefits including houses to the landless affected families in both rural and urban areas, etc. Of course, the land-for-land will be dependent on availability of land in resettlement areas and promise of employment on availability of both vacancies and suitability of candidates. The Policy also makes tenants, the landless, the agricultural and non-agricultural labourers, artisans and others eligible for compensation, which was not the case earlier. The Policy talks of providing financial assistance for building cattle sheds, shops and working sheds. Also, financial assistance for meeting transportation costs, temporary and transitional accommodation. It also talks of comprehensive infrastructure facilities and amenities in the resettlement area that include education, health care, drinking water, roads, electricity, sanitation, religious activities, cattle grazing, and other community resources. In addition to this, a special provision has been made for providing lifetime monthly pension to the disabled, destitute, orphans, widows, unmarried girls, abandoned women, or persons above 50 years of age without alternative livelihood. The Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) are to get preference in land-for-land. The Policy also envisions setting up of National Rehabilitation Commission by the Central Government for overseeing the resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected families. No project can be undertaken without a detailed social impact assessment. The affected communities are to be informed and consulted at each stage. Dissemination of information on displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement, with names of the affected persons and details of the rehabilitation packages has been made mandatory, so at to maintain transparency. In an apparent reference to the controversy with regard to acquisitions of cultivable land in various parts of the country for the purposes of developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the new policy seeks to address the issue and recommends that “only the minimum necessary area of land commensurate with the purpose of the project should be taken, and the use of the agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes should be kept to the minimum.” Source: PIB |
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