Compensation has been doubled for land acquired under the State's rehabilitation and resettlement policy. This and other aspects were elaborated upon by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam limited (UJVNl) at the conference of power ministers from across the country chaired by Union minister of State for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal in Kochi.
Making the presentation on Uttarakhand's rehabilitation and resettlement policy at the conference, the UJVNl projects director Sandip Singhal informed that provision has also been made in the State's rehabilitation and resettlement policy for insurance to meet the cost of any type of damage to homes in the project affected villages.
Singhal also averred that priority to local residents in employment has also been incorporated in the State's policy. The State Government has prepared its rehabilitation and resettlement policy keeping in mind the welfare of the project affected people, claimed the corporation official.
Referring to the Kochi conference, Singhal said that it chiefly saw discussions on the novel initiatives undertaken by some States to effectively address the environmental and social aspects of hydro power projects.