Farmers to pay interest to get back Dadupur-Nalvi land
CHANDIGARH: Land losers in Haryana, including those whose land was acquired for construction of Dadupur-Nalvi irrigation scheme, will have to pay simple interest along with the compensation amount if the state government decides to de-notify the acquired chunks on pretext of them being unviable.
The council of ministers in Haryana on Wednesday approved a policy for the return of 830 acres of de-notified Dadupur-Nalvi irrigation scheme land under the provisions of Section 101 A of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Haryana Amendment) Act, 2017. The policy will give effect to the controversial de-notification of Dadupur-Nalvi Irrigation scheme.
SC HAD DISAPPROVED RECOVERY OF COMPENSATION FROM FARMERS
The Supreme Court, in Tata Singur case of West Bengal, had clearly held that “the compensation which has already been paid to the cultivators shall not be recoverable by the state government as they have been deprived of the occupation and enjoyment of their land for the last 10 years.” The land acquisition for Dadupur-Nalvi irrigation scheme started as early as 1987 and the process continued till 2009.
POLICY DEFEATS CM’S PROMISE ON NON-LEVY OF INTEREST
An official spokesperson said the original owner or their legal heirs will return the compensation amount to the government along with simple interest, payable on deposits from the date of receipt of compensation by them till the date of return of compensation. The decision, however, defeats the public statements made by CM Khattar that no interest would be charged on the compensation money to be paid by the farmers. The government will not extract solatium paid to the farmers for acquiring their land.
The spokesperson said the policy will provide for the procedure to de-notify the land, return of unutilised land, other activities under the provisions of Section 101 A of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (Haryana Amendment) Act, 2017 to the landowners.
It will prescribe procedure for de-notifying land, acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, becoming unviable or nonessential on such terms as may be decided by the state government. If the acquiring department is of the opinion that the land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (Act No 1 of 1894) is unviable or non-essential for the public purpose for which it has been acquired and that the land should be de-notified from acquisition, it will inform the government about its opinion and seek its approval before proceeding further in accordance with the provisions.
The district-level sub-committee constituted while examining the opinion of the acquiring department would consider whether like the acquired land has become non-viable land or non-essential land, extent of payment of compensation to the land owners on account of damages sustained by them due to acquisition of land and extent of compensation by providing alternate land along with payment of damages in case of part utilisation of acquired land or in case of any encumbrances created on or against the acquired land or part thereof. The sub-committee, after examining the matter, will give its clear recommendations and reasons as to whether the opinion of the acquiring department referred to it for consideration deserves to be accepted or not.
OTHER DECISIONS
The Cabinet decided to provide government jobs to the dependents of martyred army personnel Dilbag Singh, Bijender Kumar and Dharampal by giving relaxation in the policy. An official spokesperson said that it was decided to provide class 4 jobs to Virender Singh, adopted son of martyr Dilbag Singh and Rajesh Kumar, adopted son of martyr Dharampal and Class 3 job to Ramesh Kumar, brother of martyr Bijender Kumar.
The cabinet approved enhancement of honorarium and other allowances of village chowkidars from ₹3,500 per month to ₹7,000 per month. An official spokesperson said that uniform allowance from ₹2,000 per annum to ₹2,500 per annum, lathi/battery/umbrella allowance from ₹750 per annum to ₹1,000 per annum and one-time bicycle allowance of ₹3,500 was approved.
The spokesperson said new duties have been added to the existing one for chowkidars. Now, they would also prepare the register of birth and death and would send a monthly report to the district magistrate.
The Cabinet approved the setting up of a Centre of Software Technology Park of India (STPI) in Panchkula. The state government has decided to transfer about 8,049 square meter to STPI, Noida for setting up of STPI centre at Panchkula. The land would be given free of cost on lease hold basis for 99 years at the rate of ₹1 per year.