New Delhi: As many as 17,898 people in Odisha have been displaced by two Central PSUs Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and National Aluminum Company (NALCO).
This was informed by Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi today while replying to a question of BJP MP Jual Oram in Lok Sabha.
In MCL, 17,262 families have been identified as project displaced families (PDFs) till date and 12,789 families have been given resettlement benefits, Shri Joshi said.
The issues of Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) of displaced persons are monitored and reviewed by Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committees (RPDACs) and the grievances of the displaced persons are redressed, he said.
The Union Minister said the RPDACs have also constituted sub-committees for redressal of the individual cases consisting of the local MP, MLA, Collector & SP of concerned District, Director (Personnel), MCL and CGM/GMs of MCL.
Further, he said, MCL is now holding regular grievance redressal meetings to address individual grievances and provides R&R benefits to all PDFs within and beyond the R&R Policy of Government of Odisha.
Similarly, a total of 636 persons were displaced by project activities in NALCO. Out of which, 601 persons were displaced in Damanjodi, Koraput District and 35 persons were displaced at Angul District.
Out of 601 land displaced persons (LDP) at Damanjodi, 599 LDPs/ their nominees were employed in NALCO. Regarding balance two cases, nomination towards one case recently identified is to be approved by District Administration and for balance one case decision is awaited from District Authority due to non-finalization of the nominee because of their family dispute, Shri Joshi said.
Out of 35 LDPs at Angul, 34 LDPs/their nominees were employed at NALCO while one LDP had preferred for a one-time cash assistant in lieu of employment, he informed.
On measures taken to resolve the issues of the displaced, the Coal Minister said the subject matter of Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) of displaced people in mining projects is in the purview of the State Government.
As informed by the NALCO and the MCL, the problems of the people of Odisha who have been displaced by the projects of NALCO are being periodically reviewed by the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committees (RPDAC) constituted by Government of Odisha, he stated.
In MCL, compensation against acquisition of land, trees/ crops and structures is assessed as per Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013) and being paid to the villagers after vesting of land with MCL under The Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act 1957 (CBA (A&D) Act, 1957), Shri Joshi added.
