Though the central government’s land acquisition and rehabilitation Bill is yet to be passed by Parliament, the Maharashtra government has proposed to incorporate a provision relating to annuity payment to families affected by the Jaitapur nuclear power project in the state.
The government and the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) are currently exploring several options on the ratio of cheque payment and minimum annuity of Rs 2,000 per month per family. NPC has agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 25 lakh per hectare each to the families for 938 hectares of land. The state cabinet is expected to soon give its clearance for NPC’s revised resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) measure, comprising ex-gratia and annuity payments, and expenses for corporate social responsibility. The package is expected to be in the range of Rs 400-600 crore.
“Of the Rs 25 lakh per hectare, 50 per cent may be paid by cheques and the rest through annuity payment. The ratio could be 70:30 or 80:20. This is currently being discussed with the state government. NPC will pay Rs 2,000 per month per family as annuity for 20 years, with appropriate index for inflation as envisaged in the new land acquisition Bill. This will be reviewed every three years, so that the monthly amount remains Rs 2,000 or it will increase,” an NPC official, who preferred to be anonymous, told Business Standard.
The official said NPC would negotiate with the insurance company on the terms for monthly annuity payment to the affected families.
According to the official, the ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh per hectare would be irrespective of the type of land and where the land is situated. “According to the state government’s resettlement and rehabilitation award, NPC was entitled to pay Rs 53,000-Rs 1,06,000 per hectare for barren land, Rs 1,03,000-Rs 4,23,000 per hectare for fallow land and Rs 1,81,000-Rs ,33,000 per hectare for kharif land. However, the affected families will now get an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh per hectare,” he said.
A senior state government official clarified that the compensation of Rs 25 lakh per hectare was considered only for the Jaitapur nuclear power project and not for other power and infrastructure projects.
“The annuity clause is being considered for the first time in case of the Jaitapur project. This will benefit the affected families, as they will continue to get monthly annuity payment instead of receiving the entire compensation at one go.”
Moreover, NPC would spend Rs 2 crore each for improving civic amenities in four project-affected villages and it would also provide Rs 25 lakh annually for the maintenance of these amenities. The state-run company has agreed to increase this amount by 10 per cent after every three years. NPC would provide jobs to one person from each affected households on fulfiling the skill requirements, or instead pay Rs 5 lakh as a one-time compensation.
The NPC official said the company would provide training facility for starting own business to a member of PAF. The company would pay rehabilitation grant equivalent to 750 days of minimum agricultural wages to PAFs who become landless.
