Latest news with #RehabilitationandResettlement
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
184 beneficiaries await PWD nod
T'puram: The compensation disbursement for land and shop owners affected by Kodinada–Vazhimukku road development at Balaramapuram is likely to be disbursed only after the administrative sanction from PWD. The road project is part of the ambitious Karamana–Kaliyikkavila highway development aimed at decongesting the southern stretch of NH-66 and improving connectivity along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. However, while most procedural steps were completed, the final administrative nod from PWD is holding up the release of funds meant for 184 eligible beneficiaries. District collector Anu Kumari confirmed to TOI that the list of beneficiaries, comprising 52 landowners and over 130 tenant shop owners and workers, was handed over to state finance department, which already approved it. She added that the compensation will be disbursed immediately once the department grants sanction. The compensation is being distributed under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Act, ensuring fair and lawful compensation not only for landowners but also for tenant businesses and employees who will be displaced by the road expansion. The delay has triggered growing concern among local stakeholders, many of whom already vacated or partially dismantled their properties in anticipation of compensation. Several shop owners in Balaramapuram expressed frustration over the uncertainty, citing financial strain and business disruption.
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
KSEB invites EoI to construct new substation at Kodiyathur
Addressing a long-pending demand of village consumers, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has finally invited Expression of Interest (EoI) for acquiring 30 cents under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act for the construction of a 33-kV substation at Kodiyathur in Kozhikode district. The project is expected to provide a solution to power outage and transmission issues now being faced by domestic and industrial consumers in Kodiyathur and Karassery grama panchayats. According to officials, the high voltage transmission lines from 110 kV substation at Augustianmuzhi or the 220 kV substation at Areekode can be connected to the new rural substation on completion of the work to streamline power supply. It was in 2010 that an official declaration related to the construction of a new substation in Kodiyathur village came from the authorities. However, the project got delayed for 15 years following technical hurdles related to the acquisition of a suitable plot. Though a local quarry operators' group was willing to hand over the required land in a rural area at Kottakkayam, it was not acceptable to the KSEB because of some issues related to distance and cabling works. The officials had also then pointed out that the ideal spots should be around Nellikkaparambu, Pannikkode, Kodiyathur and Cheruvadi villages. Functionaries of 'Sangamam', a voluntary organisation from West Kodiyathur, said they would extend all support to the KSEB to find a suitable spot at the earliest as their organisation had been fighting for years for the realisation of the project. Organisation secretary P.K. Faizal said there were several occasions when they directly took up the rural consumers' grievances with the KSEB authorities for action.
New Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
AP Lokayukta protects rights of Polavaram displaced families
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayukta have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting citizens' rights by ensuring justice for families displaced by the Polavaram Irrigation Project. Upa-Lokayukta P Rajani issued a landmark order in response to complaints filed by Nallala Venkata Ramanamma and Nallala Seshagiri. The complainants alleged exclusion from the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) benefits despite residing in Kummari Lova village in Tuni mandal, an area formerly part of East Godavari district, now in Kakinada district. Following the Lokayukta's action, the Project Administrator and ex-officio Joint Collector of the Polavaram Irrigation Project at Dowleswaram confirmed the inclusion of the complainants in the supplementary draft R&R scheme. Each complainant received Rs 6.36 lakh and an additional Rs 25,000 in entitlements, along with house site plots. The government sanctioned Rs 9.5 crore to extend relief to other displaced families in the village. The institution's oversight and follow-up ensured accountability and timely resolution, leading to the official closure of the complaints.
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Vizag Metro Rail to have two metro depots, near VIMS and Vizag Port
As part of the Vizag Metro Rail (VMR) project, two Metro Rail Depots (MRD) are proposed to be set up at two different locations, Old Dairy Farm (ODF) near Visakhapatnam Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), and near Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), in the city. In particular, the Metro Depot is a crucial part of infrastructure that ensures the efficient and safe operation of the metro system. The MRD is a facility that stores, maintains and repairs metro trains/cars. It serves as an operational base for the metro system, providing parking, servicing and administrative functions. The depots are equipped with various facilities including inspection lines, maintenance workshops and train wash plants. They are also storage centres to keep the train coaches/cars when they are not in service, ensuring that they are readily available for the next operational period. This MRD also serves as a central hub for train movements like shunting and manning. Depots often have administrative offices to manage metro operations and staff. For this, each depot requires at least 35 to 40 acres of land. The VMR requires about 100 (99.75) acres of land for the entire 46.23 km phase-1 on the three corridors in the city. The potential investment for land alone is about ₹890 crore. As part of the land acquisition process, a social impact assessment (SIA) is currently being conducted. The land requirement includes about nine acres of private land and about 87 acres of government land. Visakhapatnam district authorities are currently working on it with the SIA team, as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013. The SIA survey was officially announced on May 30, 2025, through an official notification by the district Collector's office. The SIA aims to verify the public interest of the project, land requirement, explore alternative land options and impact on local food security. According to the data submitted by A.P. Metro Rail Corporation (APMRC), the land to be acquired or alienated includes more than 9 acres of private land, and 87 acres of government land (36 acres of VPT, 4 acres of railways, 47 acres Animal Husbandry and other departments at the Old Dairy Farm, and less than one acre of D-patta houses. 'Yes, the Visakhapatnam district administration is currently working on land allocation related works. We are waiting for a call from the Visakhapatnam Collector, who may receive the final SIA report soon,' APMRC Managing Director N.P Ramakrishna Reddy told The Hindu on June 23 (Monday).
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP's Sunil Jakhar says AAP removed key clause of land acquisition law, SAD asks about money for policy
Chandigarh: Reacting to the Punjab cabinet approving a new land pooling policy on Monday, opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal criticised the incumbent AAP govt, with the BJP calling it a "bait" to "bleed Punjab" and SAD terming it a "scheme of corruption. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " Hitting out at AAP, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said, "I believe Punjab was used as an ATM from where they took out money. Now the central leaders of AAP from Delhi plan to use Punjab as a private bank." On provisions in the policy as announced by the govt that farmers will get back a part of the land which they can use for developing group housing projects, Jakhar said, "This is a bait. The intent is clear, and they want to bleed Punjab of its money by treating it as a milch cow. Punjab needs to be saved from this." Jakhar said AAP govt "removed" a key clause of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, which otherwise could act as a "safety valve" to safeguard farmers' interests. The LARR Act, 2013, requires that the consent of 80% of landowners be obtained for private projects and that the consent of 70% of landowners be obtained for public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The govt proposed to exempt five special categories that were created, namely defence, rural infrastructure, affordable housing, industrial corridors, and infrastructure projects, including PPP projects where the govt owns the land. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said govt will take possession of farmers' land, but there is no guarantee as to when it could be developed. "It took several years for Ludhiana to expand beyond Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And the govt plans to acquire 25,000 acres. There will be no habitation in such a vast area for years. From where will this much population come to live in such a huge area? If acquired, farmers will lose their livelihood. Not only farmers, but those in allied agriculture activities, those dealing in agri implements and fertilisers, for instance, would also get hit. It will also directly or indirectly impact landless labourers and the dalit community," he added. Cheema asked the govt where was the money to develop the land it proposed to acquire. "If Rs 1 crore would be required to develop an acre of land, from where will Rs 25,000 crore come for developing 25,000 acres of land? AAP promises like giving Rs 1,000 per month to women remain unfulfilled. The Centre even cut the borrowing limit of the state to take loans. This scheme was, practically, rolled out for corruption. This is aimed at enabling the middlemen from Delhi to make money. Otherwise, there is no justification for it," he said.
