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• Acquiring land for development projects along major corridors is tough in this densely populated State.The Resettlement and Rehabilitation cleared by the Kerala Cabinet is expected to speed up land acquisition for development activities. The Minister for Revenue, Mr Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, says that the draft policy had been modified to provide space for the concerns of activists.

INFRA BONDS

• A decision on the issue of redeemable infrastructure bonds for the value of land surrendered has been kept on hold, pending expert review of assessment of land value, transfer of bonds and assignment of an agency to oversee their issue. The policy provides for assessment of land value for compensation either on the ‘fair value' or market value. The land acquisition process would begin only after the high-level committee, including Chief Secretary, the Secretary (Revenue) and the Secretary (Administration) recognise the detailed project report regarding the type of land, measurement of which has been done by the Administration Department.

• Thus, a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary would coordinate land acquisition. The Collector, or an officer designated by him, would work as rehabilitation officer at the district level.Some other conditions in the rehabilitation package include: If the land acquired isn't used for that project within three years, it can be taken over by the Revenue Department and used for any other project.The compensation would be decided as per the price of the land calculated by the district-level purchasing committee, and the price of buildings calculated without providing for depreciation.If the project offers employment opportunity, a family member surrendering the land would be given priority for the job. People who have lost their houses would be provided Rs 5,000 a month for six months. Those who have taken houses on lease for three years would also be compensated one time.

EDUCATING LANDLORDS

• The landowners should be educated on the need to implement various developmental projects. They would also be given an opportunity to become shareholders in the projects.The package was worked out for the families to be displaced for various development projects, including the long-pending work on widening the National Highways.As many as 311 pending projects, sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana as part of the State Government's seven-phase development programme, would be re-tendered soon. The State Government has signed an umbrella agreement with the Centre to facilitate National Highway projects as work on over 600 km have been stuck after the State Government clamped down on fresh land acquisition.“Squatters and tenants will also be entitled to compensation. We have earmarked Rs 800 crore for this,” a State Government official said.

COMMERCIAL OUTLETS

• The notification will be issued only after depositing at least 25 per cent of the cost of acquisition in the account of the land acquisition officer.When commercial establishments are evicted, the local self-governments should build an alternative business complex for them and allot them to the evictees at half the rent for at least five years. This benefit, however, won't be available to companies, banks and financial agencies.If half the land belonging to a person has been acquired, he would have the choice to offer the remaining land also for takeover by the Government. In case of land acquired for irrigation projects in the command area, up to 50 cents of land could be given to each of the evictees.

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