Nano project: Farmers cry foul over land price

Say they are paid lesser by Rs 110 per sq meter for road project.

The farmers who had provided their land for the road infrastructure project connecting to the Nano site, stand discontended over the rate fixed by the state government.

A day before the announcement of Nano project at Northcote farm in Chharodi village in Gujarat, the Ahmedabad district collector along with revenue department officials had assured the farmers that they would be duly compensated for the amount of land they given for four lane road project. According to the farmers, they were promised a sum of Rs 1000 per sq meter with an additional 10 per cent premium.

A total of 2.05 lakh sq meter land has been acquired for the road project. The road will connect Nano site to the main highway.

Later on, the market price fixed for Nano project was Rs 900 per sq meter. “The government has agreed to give us Rs 900 per sq meter and a premium of 10 per cent. This is however, lower by Rs 110 per sq m than what we were promised earlier,” said Ravubha Vaghela, a landlord from Sanand who had given 300 acres land for the road project.

The government claims that they had assured the farmers that they would be given a 10 per cent premium the price fixed for the Nano land. "Earlier, the government was expecting to avail Rs 1000 per sq meter from the Tatas which was later agreed upon at Rs 900," said a government official familiar with the development. Moreover, there was no price commitment given to the farmers in writing.

Tata will have to pay eight per cent compound interest if they want to select differed payment option. A lot of claims have been earlier made on the Nano land and a couple of petitions have been filed, but the government has maintained that the land title is clear and will submit necessary proofs before the court.

The state government has already paid ninety per cent of the amount to the farmers which is about Rs 890 per sq meter. The remaining amount will be given after the documents are handed over by the farmers to the state.