In view of the resentment among citizens over eviction around the Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a rehabilitation and resettlement package for the affected people.
The administration has launched an eviction drive on August 19 to remove all the structures within 75 metre radius of the temple to ensure safety and security of the 12th century shrine.
The affected people had protested against the drive alleging that they were being evicted following the recommendation of a committee that held no public hearing.
The package was announced for those who lost dwelling houses, shops, lodges, small traders and mutts due to the drive, an official statement said here.
The affected families will be given compensation for houses located in the cleared area. They will be provided with an immediate assistance of Rs 50,000 for transportation and allied expenses.
A monthly assistance of Rs 10,000 towards rent will also be paid to the displaced families till they are provided with dwelling houses or land. However, this provision would not apply to families opting for one-time assistance, the statement said.
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Those losing their dwelling houses will have three options - taking one-time financial assistance of Rs 30 lakh, avail a house measuring 520 square feet in the rehabilitation and resettlement colony, or avail a 1,000 square feet land.
Separate provisions have been made for those who lost their shops and lodges and the small traders.
The government has so far demolished structures such as shops, business establishments, government buildings and ancient mutts (monasteries) linked to the temple rituals. Two mutts as old as 900 years and 300 years have been demolished.
Though the state government was yet to disclose the number of people to be affected due to eviction, unofficial estimates claimed that seven mutts, about 300 residential houses and over 1,000 shops would be demolished.
"There are special provisions of resettlement, conservation and rehabilitation for the mutts facing eviction and demolition," an official said adding that the Puri collector will discuss the matter with the mutt authorities.
Those who will volunteer to accept the government's package within a month of the notification will get 10 per cent extra amount, the official said.
Puri district collector Balwant Singh on Sunday said the state government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore for modernisation of a library in the 900-year-old mutt which was razed during the demolition drive.
The collector said out of 81 applicants, 26 shopkeepers have been rehabilitated at the Jagannath Ballav Craft Complex near the temple.