BHAWANIPATNA: A one-time settlement package was finalised for the project affected persons of Vedanta at the eighth Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting for refinery expansion project held here on Friday.
The meeting, presided over by RDC (south division) T Ao, was attended by project displaced persons of Bandhguda, Rengopali and Kothdwar villages.
The refinery expansion project includes the construction of the remaining portion of the red mud pond.
The total land required for the expansion project is 117.98 acres of which, 107.35 acres is in Rengopali, 5.66 acres in Bandhguda and rest 4.97 acres in Kothdwar village. For Rengopali and Bandhguda villages, lease deed has already been executed between Collector and villagers but in case of Bandhguda, 80 per cent of the payment has not been made as the matter is pending in a civil court. A total of 234 families in the three villages have been identified as project affected persons.
According to the one-time settlement package that was finalised, each project affected person who gave up their agriculture and homestead land for the project in lieu of employment will also receive Rs 18 lakh as per mutual agreement instead of Rs 8.55 lakh as per Odisha R& R Policy. People who lost only agriculture land or homestead land will receive Rs 14 lakh instead of Rs 1.71 lakh.
Based on the employability profile prepared by the district administration, 108 persons are eligible for employment in the company.
Public representatives and project-affected villagers demanded early payment of compensation, rehabilitation and employment in the company. It was also decided in the meeting that people eligible for employment will be provided capacity and skill development training through ITI.