THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL)
(a) & (b): Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Land Resources)
have formulated a National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy (NRRP) 2007
vide F.No. 26011/4/2007-LRD and published in the Gazette of India,
extraordinary Part 1, Section 1 dated 31st October, 2007, which under para
713.1 includes the necessary provision for providing employment to affected
families.
In regard to employment and other facilities to the affected
people, the NRRP stipulates preference to affected family (at least one person
per nuclear family) in providing employment in the project, subject to the
availability vacancies and suitability of affected person for the employment.
The policy stipulates arranging training, offering scholarships and other skill
development opportunities to the eligible persons among the affected families.
The policy also stipulates giving preference to willing landless labourers and
un-employed affected persons while engaging labour in the project during the
construction phase.This Policy has been adopted by all CPSUs. The State Governments
including Chhattisgarh are at liberty to give additional benefits to project
affected family.
Further, as per the New Hydro Policy 2008, an additional 1% free
power (in addition to 12% free power) from the project would be provided and
earmarked for a Local Area Development Fund, aimed at providing a regular
stream of revenue for income generating and welfare schemes, creation of
additional infrastructure and common facilities etc. on a sustained and
continued basis over the life of the project. In addition, 100 units of electricity
per month would be provided by the project developer to each project affected
family for a period of 10 years from the date of commissioning of the project.
(c) & (d): Power projects are mainly site specific where the acquisition of
land is governed by the `Power Potential Studies` for hydro power projects and
availability of water, raw materials, infrastructural facilities like transport
(especially Railways) etc. for thermal power projects, rather than on any other
consideration.
All Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) issues pertaining to
Project Affected Persons (PAPs) in respect of Hydro and Thermal Power
Projects are proactively addressed during land acquisition and project
construction stage itself. A Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) is formulated
through extensive consultations process involving PAPs, Head of Panchayats of
the affected villages, people representatives and the District and State
Administration etc. The RAP, thus prepared on a consensual basis is then
approved for implementation. The duration of RAP implementation varies from
project to project and this is normally completed by the end of project
implementation. However, despite the best efforts, if some R&R issues are left
unresolved or they crop up after the completion of the project, they are
addressed in due course of time.
(e) & (f): Information with regard to use of underground water, illegal
mining and land encroachment is not compiled in the Ministry of Power.
However, such activities are required to be addressed by the concerned State
Government as per the extant Acts and Rules.
