Highlights of R&R Policy for VPHEP
The Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Policy prepared by THDCIL is based on National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy, 2007 and World Bank's Operational Policy 4.12 on involuntary resettlement.
The main objectives of the R&R Policy for VPHEP are:
- To minimize displacement and to identify non-displacing or least-displacing alternatives;
- To plan the resettlement and rehabilitation of Project Affected Families, (PAFs) including special needs of vulnerable sections;
- To provide better standard of living to PAFs
- To facilitate harmonious relationship between the THDCIL and PAFs through mutual cooperation and consultation
- To ensure that the affected persons are meaningfully consulted and provided opportunities to participate in the planning and implementation process of the resettlement program in order to suitably accommodate their inputs and make the policy more participatory in nature and broad based in its scope
Under THDCIL's R&R Policy, those who lose private land have a choice between two compensation options. The Option 1 is based on NPRR 2007; rather it exceeds the NPRR 2007, whereas Option 2 is based on negotiated settlement. (R&R POLICY OF VPHEP)
The policy was shared with the project-affected communities in its draft form and their concerns addressed in finalization of Policy and also in the formulation of the Resettlement Action Plan that will guide its implementation.
The Policy recognizes the need to support restoration of livelihoods of adversely affected people and lays down norms for rehabilitating the affected people and broadly outlines an approach and institutional framework to achieve its objectives.
Apart from compensation and resettlement assistance, the THDCIL Policy also recognizes the impacts on the villagers of the acquisition of public land in one form or another that most villages traditionally use for grazing their animals or for gathering fuel and fodder. Besides the 31.62 ha of private land, VPHEP's land acquisition includes 100.39 ha of government land (including forest/grazing land and Van Panchayat land). As villagers use these common lands for collecting fodder or firewood, THDCIL's R&R Policy seeks to provide compensation to these affected people also.
Compensation Options-Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy of VPHEP
Under R&R Policy of VPHEP, those who lose private land have a choice between two compensation options. The option 1 is based on NRRP 2007 where as option 2 is based on negotiated settlement.
Summary of both the options has been presented here as under:
Options 1:
The salient features of option 1 include:
- The "Land for land" option for PAF owning agricultural land in the affected zone, whose entire land has been acquired or has been reduced to status of marginal as a consequence of the acquisition or loss of land may be allotted agricultural land or cultivated land to the extent of actual loss of land subject to a maximum of one Ha of irrigated land or two Ha of un irrigated/ cultivable wasteland preferably in the command area subject to availability of Government land in the district. In addition, PAF will also be entitled for land development amount @ Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. ten thousand) per acre.
- As per the category of affected families eligible families are entitled for Rehabilitation grant ranging from 500MAW to 1000MAW (Minimum Agricultural Wage).
- The policy also includes subsistence grant of 25 days of minimum agriculture wages per month for a period of one year; self resettlement grant for house ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000; shifting allowance of Rs. 20,000 and resettlement grant of Rs. 40,000 inclusive of cattle shed.
- The policy also has the provision of mitigating loss of van panchayat land at an individual level. THDCIL will pay minimum agriculture wages for 100 days per year for a period of 5 years to each of the effected house hold.
- Policy has additional provisions for tribal families which includes (i) preference in allotment of land for land option; additional financial assistance equivalent to 500 days MAW for loss of customary rights/usages of forest produce in case the acquisition has affected their such rights; (iii) tribal PAFs resettled out of the District/Taluk will get 25% higher R&R benefits in monetary terms (iv) if any reservoir is constructed and owned by THDCIL as a result of its construction of any hydro electric project, the tribal PAFs of the affected area having fishing rights in the river/ ponds/dam will be given the fishing rights in the reservoir area and (v) in case, land being acquired from ST, at least1/3 of compensation amount due shall be paid to the affected families at the outset as first instalment and rest at the time of taking over possession of land
Option 2
This option as said above will be based on negotiated settlement. The salient features of this option include:
- THDCIL will approach the affected community for a negotiated settlement. The unit of negotiation would be per nali (one fiftieth of a hectare or a land parcel of 200 sq. m). The negotiated amount would include the compensation amount, solatium (30% of the compensation amount), interest (12% from the date of award) and R&R assistance. The negotiated amount would be the prevailing market rate.
- The compensation amount including solatium and interest (if payable) will be disbursed by the competent authority and balance amount will be paid by THDCIL as R&R assistance. Even if any PAP has a landholding of less than a nali or is a landless, he / she will be entitled for an R&R package of at least one and half naali.
- THDCIL will pay the replacement value of the structure based on concerned PWD's latest schedule of rates (SOR). The compensation of the land will be calculated as per the process followed for agriculture land.
- Any community property that will be affected by the project will be replaced by THDCIL before the demolition or acquisition of such properties.
