Lok Sabha Question No. 1208 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-09
Subject: Land Acquisition for Polavaram Project
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SUKENDER REDDY GUTHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1208

ANSWERED ON 09.02.2017

## LAND ACQUISITION FOR POLAVARAM PROJECT

## 1208.          SHRI GUTHA SUKENDER REDDY

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA  REJUVENATION  be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has received any representations from certain quarters against forcible land acquisition made for Polvaram Project ;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any efforts have been made by Polavaram Project Authority to inquire into the matter, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(d) whether the Government has any proposal to address the issue in a time bound manner, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE  FOR WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT    AND  GANGA REJUVENATION

(Dr. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN):

(a)to  (d)  Polavaram  Project  Authority  (PPA)  has  intimated  that  the  representations  regarding land  acquisition are  received  from  time  to  time  and  generally  pertain  to  the  cost  for land   acquisition.     As   the  · Rehabilitation and  Resettlement   (R&R)   works   for   the Polavaram  irrigation  project  are  looked  after  by  the  Government\_ of Andhra Pradesh, such representations  are sent to them for appropriate action.  · .·

As informed  by the  State  Government,  following  mechanism  has  been  established  to review  and  monitor  the implementation  of R&R works.

## I. Implementation  of R&R Plan

## i) At District Level :

Under  the  provisions  of Right  to Fair Compensation and Transparency  in Land Acquisition,   Rehabilitation   & Resettlement    (RFCTLARR)  Act,    2013,    District  Collectors  of  concerned  districts  have  been  appointed  as appropriate Government Authority,  who  is  responsible  for  ascertaining  the  legitimacy  and  bonafide  purpose for  the  proposed  land  acquisition  and  notifies  the  details  of  land  to  be  acquired  as prescribed  in the  Act.    In case of  involuntary  displacement  of  persons  due  to  acquisition of  land,  project  administrators  have  been appointed.

## ii)  At State Level

Under  the  provisions  of  the  above  Act,  Commissioner  (R&R),  Andhra  Pradesh  has been  appointed  for  proper implementation  of  the  R&R  plans. Further,  a  State-level  Monitoring  Committee  for  R&R  has  also  been constituted.

Public Administrators  of  East and  West  Godawari  are  the  Chairman  of  Grievance  Redressal  Cells  at  the District level and Commissioner (R&R), Andhra Pradesh is Appellate Authority at the State level.

The  Government   of  Andhra   Pradesh  has  informed  that  they  are  committed  to rehabilitate  the PAFs/PDFs as  per R  & R package keeping  in view of the provisions of constitutional rights under schedule areas and PESA Act  1996.    The  acquisition  of  .  land  is  compulsory  in  nature,  having  regard  to  the  public  purpose.      Few awardees who were not  vacating their structures  which were acquired and compensated, have been  relocated  by the State Administration, well within the statutory frame work and the rules governing the field.

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