Land acquired for Tata project to be returned to farmers: Chhattisgarh Govt

Hours after being inducted into the Cabinet, Chhattisgarh minister Ravindra Choubey on Tuesday announced that the land that was acquired for the Tata steel project in Bastar region will be returned to the farmers.

"More than 1700 hectares of land that was acquired for the now-abandoned Tata Steel project in Bastar region has been taken back for not fulfilling the conditions of lease deed. The land will be returned to the farmers," said Ravindra Choubey.

The announcement came after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel ordered officials to bring a proposal in the cabinet to return farmers' land acquired for a Tata Steel project in tribal-dominated Lohandiguda area of Bastar in 2008.

According to an official statement, Baghel has issued directions to the concerned officials to bring the proposal in the next cabinet meeting.

On the lines of the promises made in the election manifesto, Baghel has ordered officials to immediately initiate the process of returning the land to farmers of 10 villages.

The land was acquired by Tata Steel in February and December 2008. The villages where land was acquired were Chhindgaon, Kumhli, Beliyapal, Bandaji, Daabpal, Bade Paroda, Belar, Dhuragaon, Sirisguda and Takarguda.