New code helps ex-gratia payment to Tata Steel project oustees

The recent modification in the state government’s policy to facilitate payment of enhanced ex-gratia to affected families of Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex (KNIC) through apportionment has made the ex-gratia distribution and compensation payment simpler.

The new strategy adopted by the Orissa government and Tata Steel has started paying dividends in the land acquisition for the Kalinga Nagar project.

Land compensation for all the land acquired for Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex in Jajpur was paid between 1992 and 1995.

The compensation was paid to the respective families as per the awards finalized through their land records.

In a further notification, the state government enhanced ex-gratia for the acquired land by about Rs 63,000, taking the total land price to Rs 1 lakh per acre including the land cost already paid to the affected families. Out of the land so acquired, about 3471.808 acres have been allotted to Tata Steel.

Earlier, people who had shifted from their villages to the rehabilitation colonies opting for enhanced ex-gratia had failed to avail the same as other members in their families were not willing to accept the amount.

Realizing the complications and genuine difficulties faced by the interested families, the Jajpur Collector had taken up the matter with the government.

The proposal was approved by the Revenue & Disaster Management Department in 2007 to facilitate the payment of enhanced ex-gratia to the beneficiaries through apportionment.

As per the modified system, those who have shifted individually are able to avail the enhanced ex-gratia without any hassle even though several other members in their respective families are still defiant.