Problems of land acquistion : A case study of gobindpura district mansa (punjab)
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Date
2014
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Publisher
Central University of Punjab
Abstract
Despite India's roaring economic growth over the past decade, and its citizens' growing belief that it is finally ready to join the league of global superpowers; the country remains vulnerable in providing electricity to all its citizens. Therefore, arises the need for construction of power plants, which creates the problem of land acquisition in India. Many studies have dealt with the problem of land acquisition from different parts of the country, like Singur Tata Case, Nandigrame and Odhisa Pasco. The present study tries to analyse the socio economic implications of land acquisition of Gobindpura, a village of Mansa. Earlier studies are mostly related to the SEZ and land for industrial projects. But the present study is concerned with the land acquisition for a new thermal power plant. In lieu of its significance, the study looks at it socio-economic impacts of land acquisition in village Gobindpura and the nature of struggle being faced by people there due to the loss of land and livelihood. It was in October 2010, the Government of Punjab had decided to establish a Thermal Power Plant of 1320 Mega Watt (MW) in Gobindpura with the help of Poena Power Company. The total land area of the village is 1458 acres, out of which 806 acres of land has been acquired by the State Government of Punjab for establishing the thermal power plant. Due to the land acquisition, the land holdings of the people reduced from 1458 acres to 652 acres in the village. The study found that there has been change in cropping pattern and leased 'in and out' pattern of the agrarian land. Annual income of villagers decreased after land acquisition due to reduction in the size of agricultural land. The compensation amount given to the farmers ranged between from Rs. 23.23 lakhs per acre to Rs. 23.77 lakhs per acre, including displacement allowances, which was less than the announced amount. The study concludes that the problems arising out of land acquisition are due to following reasons: paying less compensation to the land owners, land acquired for the private projects in the name of public purpose, not providing the alternative source of income to the affected people and ignoring the agricultural labourers. The study suggests that the compensation amount being decided by the government should be based on the actual market price. It also suggests that the government should re-evaluate the existing land acquisition norms in India. The agricultural land acquired for purpose of development projects will make the agricultural population unemployed due to the multiples externalities of the projects, which are unskilled to fetch other jobs apart from aggravating the problem of food security in future
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Keywords
Land Acquisition, Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Compensation, Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Citation
Singh, Gurvinder (2014) Problems of land acquistion A case study of gobindpura district mansa (punjab).