Lok Sabha Question No. 1463 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-15
Subject: Compensation to Farmers
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1463

## ANSWERED ON 15.12.2022

## COMPENSATION TO FARMERS

†1463.  SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether  compensation  has  been  paid  to  all  the  farmers  whose  land  has  been acquired for establishment of unit of Power Grid Corporation at Deoli of Wardha district in the State of Maharashtra;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether  the  Government  has  paid  any  compensation  to  farmers  whose  land becomes useless due to towers used to connect power grid line and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the  manner  in  which  compensation  is  determined  along  with  the  number  of persons who received such compensation so far; and

(e) the  details  of  the  works  carried  out  by  power  grid  corporation,  Deoli  under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds during the last three years and the current year?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) & (b) :     Yes, Sir. Compensation has been paid by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.  (POWERGRID)  to  all  affected  land  owners,  whose  land  has  been  acquired  for establishment of substation at Deoli in District Wardha, Maharashtra.

A total of 113.81 hectares land has been acquired for establishment of the substation. Out of 113.81 hectares land, 99.79 hectares has been taken on lease from Maharashtra  Industrial  Development  Corporation  (MIDC).  The  balance  14.02  hectares land has been acquired as per provisions of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 from the land owners, for which Rs. 2.99 crore has been paid as compensation amount, as decided by revenue authorities of the State Government.

........2.

(c) & (d) : Transmission  lines  in  the  country  are  constructed  under  the  ambit  of Electricity Act, 2003. The provisions stipulated in Sections 67 and 68 of the Electricity Act,  2003  read  with  Sections  10  &  16  of  the  Indian  Telegraph  Act,  1885  govern  the compensation amount to be paid to the affected land owners. Land below transmission line  is  not  acquired  (only  user  rights  are  given  to  the  transmission  licensee)  and ownership  of  land  remains  with  the  land  owners,  who  are  allowed  to  continue cultivation, after construction work is over. As per the provision under Section 10 (d) of Indian  Telegraph  Act,  1885,  the  damages/  compensation,  as  assessed  by  revenue authorities, are paid to land owners/ farmers by the transmission licensees.

In order to bring uniformity in payment of compensation towards damages in regard to Right of Way for laying of transmission lines, Ministry of Power (MoP), Govt. of India issued Guidelines in 2015, which prescribes payment of 85% of land value for tower base area and 15% of land value towards diminution of land value in the width of Right of Way corridor. In addition to above, MoP has also issued guidelines in July, 2020 for  additional  land  compensation  in  form  of  non-usability  allowance  up  to  15%  of  the land  value  for  the  corridor  in  notified  urban  areas.  Land  being  State  subject,  all  the State/UT Governments have been advised to adopt these Guidelines.

(e) : An expenditure of Rs. 29.60 lakh has been incurred under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by POWERGRID, Deoli, Wardha District during the last three years for construction of road berms, laying of hume pipe at State highway connecting point, Random  Rubble  (RR)  Masonry  for  strengthening  of  area  near  culvert  along  with  RCC Road at village Padegaon in Deoli tehsil. In addition to above, an expenditure of about Rs. 0.70 lakh has been incurred towards carrying out COVID relief activities in the area.

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