The Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) for the lower Suktel Irrigation Project in Balangir districton Wednesday decided to recommend to the State Government payment of compensation to the families displaced by the project as per the provisions of the land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The meeting, held seven long years after work began on the project, was presided over by Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC-Northern) NBS Rajput. The meeting also discussed issues relating to compensation and rehabilitation of the displaced.
Balangir MlA and leader of Opposition in Assembly Narasingha Mishra, Patnagarh MlA and BJP State president KV Singh Deo, loisingha MlA and MSME Minister Jogendra Behera attended the meeting along with SPs, Collectors and other senior officials of Subarnapur and Balangir districts.
However, representatives of the lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad (lSBASP) were absent as they have been opposing the project citing the large-scale displacement it would cause.
Narasingha Mishra said, “If the Government is so serious about better compensation for the displaced, they could have implemented the law much before. We have decided not to allow compensation as per old laws and would recommend to implement the land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013.”
Singh Deo also said, “The Government needs to compensate the displaced as per the latest laws.” Minister Behera said, “I suggested compensating the displaced people as per the 2013 Act instead of the 2006 Act so that they receive more money.”