Jharkhand promises to solve land problems

Big industrial houses that signed MOUs with the state government for setting up industries in Jharkhand but could not start work or delay work due to lack of land clearance and other bottlenecks coupled with political uncertainty that had gripped the state can now hope for speedy administrative action and support from the state government.

"This is the first time such a meeting has been held in recent years and it appears that work on project can start at last without political interference", said a major investor in the state of Jharkhand based in Kolkata.

A 3-day review meeting was held last week between various state government departments and companies, which were assured of speedy disposal of their cases and a process to monitor progress through regular weekly meetings.

"The government would in parallel have to improve the law and order so that out people working at sites were not intimidated or threatened with abduction at the local level", said the Kolkata based investor.

Naxalites were a powerful force in some parts of Jharkhand and law and order was seen to be a problem there.

After imposition of President’s rule in the state, the companies had urged Governor Syed Sibtey Razi to intervene.

Razi then directed officials to organise the review meeting.

While the government side was represented by besides top industries department officials, those from other departments such as land revenue, water resources and energy, the industrial houses included ArcellorMittal, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, CESC Limited, JSW Steel, Jharkhand Ispat, Hindalco, Electro Steel, Abhijeet Group, and Kohinoor Steel.

The ArcellorMittal team led by Sanak Mishra sought active involvement of the administration for land acquisition.

Sanjeeb Sengupta of CESC said that all mandatory clearances except for land had been obtained for its proposed power plant in Santhal Paarganas.

Some NGOs were preventing land acquisition and a meeting with them could help resolve the stalemate, he commented at the meeting.

He was assured by the government that such an attempt would be made.

R P Singh of JSW Steel said the company would start construction work within three months of getting the required land.

Abhijeet Group representatives pointed out that it had already spend around Rs 40 crores to acquire land and other infrastructure but could not make further progress as it was yet to be allotted an iron ore mine.

If allotted a mine, the Abhijeet could start production by 2011, said its team members.

The industries secretary N N Sinha promised that the concerned districts and the land revenue department would be asked to sort out government land transfer to companies on a priority basis. Investors were asked to prepare family-wise dossiers specifying rehabilitation plan for displaced families currently residing on the land they proposed to acquire. Investors were told to follow the state’s R &R policy adopted in August 2008.

Some company representatives, however, claimed their rehabilitation packages were far better than the state government package, and promised to do much more than what the state policy specified.