Tata Steel starts distributing 350 cr. to displaced families in Ganjam

Following government approval, disbursement process has started for Rs.350 crore additional compensation package for families displaced or affected by the land acquisition for project of Tata Steel in Ganjam district of Odisha.

“Every effort is being made for early disposal of the compensation cases while maintaining transparency in every case. A lot will depend upon the documents that are being filed by the respective awardees and the clarity they provide during scrutiny to the officers. Team work will definitely be key to success of this initiative,” said Arun Misra, Vice-President (Project Gopalpur) & MD, Tata Steel Special Economic Zone Limited.

The company has formed special teams to accelerate the process of disbursement of the additional Revised & Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package. Notices regarding additional R&R package have been given to 1,398 displaced families.

According to company sources, 413 persons have already filed their responses to this notice. It has been decided that revised compensation would be disbursed to 200 to 300 families every month. Till now, 27 nominees from displaced families have received Rs.7 lakh each towards cash in lieu of job summing up to Rs.1.89 crore. Monthly maintenance allowance of Rs.5,000 per month for the 1,645 families displaced or affected by Tata Steel project here has been started from November 1.

The company claimed that till now it has provided technical training to 700 youths from displaced families.

But an organisation of displaced and affected families named ‘Tata Visthapita Manch’ is not satisfied with this revised compensation package. They are demanding Rs.50 lakh for each acre of land acquired by the company and permanent employment for one person from each displaced family.

Recruitment for 400 persons at the commissioning stage of this ferrochrome plant will be made as per guidelines discussed in Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) held on September 30 under chairmanship of Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, which was also attended by project displaced and affected families, said Tata Steel authorities.