Mumbai: The union cabinet has approved the National Policy on Rehabilitation
and Resettlement, 2007, to replace the National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation
for Project Affected Families, 2003. The
cabinet also decided to bring legislation on the lines of the new rehabilitation
and resettlement policy, and to suitably amend the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
The government will shortly issue a gazette notification to give effect to the
new policy. The
new policy aims at striking a balance between the need for land for developmental
activities and, at the same time, protecting the interests of the land owners
and other stakeholders like tenants, landless labourers, agricultural and non-agricultural
labourers, artisans and others whose livelihood depends on the land involved,
the government said in a statement.The
policy also provides that land acquired for a public purpose cannot be transferred
to any other purpose but a public purpose, and that too only with prior approval
of the government. When
land acquired is transferred for a consideration, eighty per cent of any net unearned
income so accruing to the transferor shall be shared with the persons from whom
the lands were acquired, or their heirs, in proportion to the value of the lands
acquired. The
policy will be applicable in all cases irrespective of the number of people involved
and the benefits shall be available to all affected persons and families whose
land, property or livelihood is adversely affected by land acquisition or by involuntary
displacement of a permanent nature due to any other reason, such as natural calamities,
etc. Provision
has also been made for providing lifetime monthly pension to vulnerable persons,
such as the disabled, destitute, orphans, widows, unmarried girls, abandoned women
or persons above 50 years of age (who are not provided or cannot immediately be
provided with alternative livelihood). It
is also proposed to set up a National Rehabilitation Commission to oversee the
rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected families.
also see : General
reports on Economy
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