Keonjhar: Finally, the government has taken forward a big step to resolve certain issues related to the rehabilitation and resettlement of the people affected by the Kanpur mega irrigation project in Basudevpur in this district.
After a gap of two years, the rehabilitation and peripheral development advisory committee (RPDAC) meeting was held Wednesday here to settle the issues. It was chaired by northern range Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) DV Swamy in the presence of Collector Ashish Thakare.
Significantly, the RPDAC approved a package of Rs 32.59 crore for the displaced and project affected people.
The Collector spoke on the objectives of the RPDAC meeting where there were deliberations on new guidelines. As many as 407 more families were identified as project affected in Basudevpur, Kandara, Ravenshawpur-A, Hariharpur, Chamakpur and Murusuan villages.
Boys and girls aged 18 in the already identified project affected families were counted as separate households. For rehabilitation and resettlement of the fresh 407 families, the RPDAC approved a package of Rs 32,59,78, 600.
The RDC asked the officials concerned to undertake skill development programmes for people aged between 18 to 35 years of the project affected families so as to create self-employment and income generating opportunities over them.
The RPDAC has also approved an outlay of Rs 62,70,56,000 to develop residential colonies for 350 displaced families to be set up at Birikala, Dadhuan and Dhobakuchuda. As many as 350 displaced families have applied for 10 decimal of land each for housing in the three colonies.
Besides, the RPDAC gave a go-ahead to another outlay of Rs 39,43,25,309 to develop additional infrastructure facilities at four rehabilitation colonies at Basudevpur-1 and 2, Angula, Naradpur and Shankarpur.
It was learnt that Rs 1.2 crore was approved by the RPDAC for assistance to 30 families in Silusuan that were displaced due to the main canal of the mega project.
Another package of Rs 9,36,53,000 was approved at the meeting for 115 families displaced from Dadhuan, Birikala, Chamakpur and Rugudi.
On the basis of a socio-economic survey report in the project area, the RPDAC had earlier approved financial assistance to 3,930 displaced families. Of them, 2,008 families have been provided with full assistance while 1,319 families were given the first phase of assistance.
The remaining 542 families will be given assistance after land is made ready for their rehabilitation, it was learnt.
