BHUBANESWAR: The Centre on Wednesday said that 4,450 affected families of Mahanadi Coalfields projects are yet to be provided resettlement benefits as per the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) policy of the State government.
Replying to a question of BJP MP Jual Oram, Union Minister of Mines and Coals Pralhad Joshi informed the Lok Sabha that about 16,087 families have been identified to be displaced, of which 11,637 have already been provided resettlement benefits as per the R&R policy of Odisha government. He said resettlement and rehabilitation are a continuous process for displaced people.
In case of people displaced by National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Minister said 635 families were displaced by project activities, of which 600 were displaced at Damanjodi in Koraput district and 35 in Angul district.
Of the 600 land displaced persons (LDP) at Damanjodi, 599 LDPs or their nominees were employed in NALCO. The decision of the district authority is awaited for the single case due to non-finalisation of the nominee because of their family dispute.
Out of 35 LDPs at Angul, 34 or their nominees were employed at NALCO while one LDP had preferred one-time cash assistance in lieu of employment. The Minister said NALCO is periodically reviewing the functions of the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committees (RPDAC) constituted by the State government.
