India News | WB Govt Begins Disbursal of Compensation to Consenting Landowners in Deocha Pachami

Kolkata, Feb 23 (PTI) The West Bengal government Wednesday began disbursal of compensation to consenting landowners in Deocha Pachami coal mining project area in Birbhum district and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally handed over compensation cheques and job appointment letters to six families concerned.

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Banerjee told reporters after the programme at the state secretriat that 1600 of the about 4200 odd families in the area have already given their consent to give their land for the Rs 30,000 crore coal project.

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She said that the state has firmed up a relief and rehabilitation package of Rs 10000 crore for the land losers of Deocha Pachami coal block, considered the largest in the country and ranks second globally, and no land owner who has consented to give his/her land will be deprived.

"Over a lakh employment will be generated once the project gets underway. Apart from the compensation from the land, which is very exciting considering the market rate, we will be handing over job appointment letters to all families who have given their land," she said.

The chief minister said that compensation and support is being offered to even those who live in the area identified for the coal block and do not have any legal right either on any land or building there.

The Relief and Rehabilitation package offers double the market value of the land along with 100 per cent as solatium as land cost to a consenting landowner. It has increased the built-up area of individual houses to be provided to all the families in model RR colonies to 700 sq ft from 600 sq ft. The compensation in lieu of built up house has been increased from Rs five lakh per family to Rs seven lakh. Subsistence allowance for each family has been increased to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs one lakh.

While the original package provided for one employment for one member of every family as junior police constable, in the revised package those with higher qualification will be given higher grade posting in police or an equivalent posting in other departments.

There are 12 villages in the area having around 4,314 households with a population of 21,033. A total 3,601 of them are SCs and another 9,034 STs.

Located in Muhammad bazar in Birbhum district, Deocha Pachami is spread over 12.31 sq km, which is around 3400 acres.

Of the total area the government owns 100 acres, of which 300 acres is forest land.

The block has a reserve of around 1,198 million tonnes of coal and 1400 million cubic meter basalt (black stone).

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)