6,700 SSP affected families in MP living in submergence area:

Out of the total 18,063 families affected by Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) in Madhya Pradesh, 6,724 continue to live in submergence area, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Of these, 884 project affected families (PAFs) are in the process of shifting, Minister of state for Water Resources Sanjeev Kumar Balyan said in a written reply.

He also told the Upper House that all the PAFs have been given resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package as per the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) award and the Supreme Court's February 8 order.

There are no PAFs remaining in the submergence areas in Gujarat and Maharashtra, other beneficiary states of the project, Balayan said replying to a query on numbers of PAFs who are still residing in the dam submergence area.
 

"The government of Madhya Pradesh has reported that out of the 18,063 PAFs to be resettled in Madhya Pradesh, only 6,724 PAFs are remaining in the submergence area up to full reservoir and backwater levels corresponding to 100 years' flood magnitude," the Minister said.

He further said that most of them were residing in the backwater region corresponding to 100 years' flood magnitude, and therefore, "may not be under a threat of immediate submergence".

Stating the PAFs have been given R and R package, Balayan said families which opt for shifting from submergence villages and wish to construct their houses later on can avail the option of receiving Rs 60,000 for rental transit accommodation and Rs 20,000 for arranging meals/food for three months.

The PAFs have also been extended benefit of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana at Rs 1.5 lakh per family (including Rs 18,000 towards labour component under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005).

"In order to facilitate the shifting process, 23 camp sites (16 in Dhar, 2 in Alirajpur and 5 in Barwani) have been set up and 3,400 temporary houses are provisioned at these places along with the provision for basic amenities like toilets, washrooms, electricity supply, drinking water, connected roads, health facilities, etc," he added.