BHUBANESWAR: The Centre on Wednesday admitted that 4,473 families displaced by mining projects of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) are yet to receive settlement benefits.
Responding to a query from Sundargarh MP Jual Oram on rehabilitation and resettlement of families displaced by projects of national public sector undertaking National Aluminum Company (NALCO) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), Union Minister for Mines and Coal Pralhad Joshi said 17,262 families have been identified as project displaced families (PDFs) in MCL area out of which 12,789 families have been given resettlement benefits.
The issues of rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) of displaced persons are monitored and reviewed by the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committees (RPDACs) and the grievances of the displaced persons are redressed. The RPDACs have also constituted sub-committees for redressal of the individual cases consisting of the local MP, MLA, collector and SP of the district concerned.
Out of 636 persons displaced by NALCO project activities, 601 were in Damanjodi of Korapat district and the rest 35 were from Angul. Of the 601 land displaced persons (LPDs) at Damanjodi, 599 LDPs or their nominees were employed in NALCO. In the remaining two cases, nomination towards one case recently identified is to be approved by district administration. The decision is awaited from the district authority for the other case due to the non-finalisation of the nominee because of their family dispute.
Out of 35 LDPs at Angul, 34 cases have been disposed of by employing NALCO while one LDP had preferred for one-time cash assistance instead of employment. The minister, however, said that the subject matter of R&R of displaced people in mining projects comes under the purview of the state government. As informed by NALCO and MCL, the problems of the displaced families are being periodically reviewed by RPDAC constituted by the state government.
In the case of MCL, compensation against the acquisition of land, trees/crops and structures is assessed as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and is paid to the villagers after vesting of land with MCL under the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act 1957.