The West Bengal government has decided to offer a “provisional compensation package” to acquire land for building embankments in three 2009 cyclone-affected districts of the State.
The three districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore were amongst the worst affected after Cyclone Aila struck the State in May 2009.
The provisional package includes purchase of land for embankment at the current market rate, the Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, said on Saturday. “A member of the family, whose land is to be acquired, will be offered a job. A scheme for a separate monthly annuity will also be provided as a part of the package,” she added.
‘Provisional package'
“The need for a provisional package arose ahead of monsoon as the land acquisition policy along with compensation packages are yet to be finalised,” Ms Banerjee told reporters at the State Secretariat.
According to Ms Banerjee, the erstwhile Left Front Government had failed to start work on building embankments in these districts to prevent the entry of flood water in low-lying villages. Funds available from the Centre were lying unused with the State Government, she alleged.
The district magistrates have been asked to carry out supervisory work for acquiring land. Construction work will be taken up after November this year while project implementation will be done through the respective village panchayats.