The Maharashtra government has reviewed the land acquisition cases for the Vikhran solar power project in Dhule district and has decided to compensate the 138 affected farmers through direct negotiations rather than according to the Land Acquisition
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The Maharashtra government has reviewed the land acquisition cases for the Vikhran solar power project in Dhule district and has decided to compensate the 138 affected farmers through direct negotiations rather than according to the Land Acquisition law of the state. The move came days after Dharma Patil (84), a farmer from Dhule district, consumed a poisonous substance in the Mantralaya in south Mumbai on January 22 demanding better compensation for his acquired land. He died in a hospital here on January 28.
"According to the new rates, the farmers are likely to get a compensation of up to Rs 38 crore," Power Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said today. Family of late Patil will also get more than Rs 50 lakh as compensation as recommended by the report of the Dhule collector. "A total of 199 hectares of land has been acquired for the solar power project at Vikharan in Sindkhed taluka by Revenue department. We (power ministry) will allocate the total amount of compensation as demanded by the Dhule district collector," Bawankule told reporters here.
"The project was pushed by the Devendra Fadnavis government as it was stalled since 2009. Revenue department decided to acquire 824 hectares of land. Private land measuring 675 hectares from Methi and Vikharan villages too was earmarked for the project. The state also acquired 149 hectares of government land for the project," he added. As of now, the total 529 hectares of land has been acquired, of which 476 hectares is private land and 45 hectares government-owned land, the minister said. In 2012, farmers were compensated a total Rs 47.60 crore against acquisition of 476 hectares land.
However, 138 farmers have demanded a higher amount for 199 hectares land. "According to section 18 of the Land Acquisition Law, farmers have to register an appeal before the revenue court to demand more compensation. However, nobody filed the appeal," said Bawankule. After Patil's death, the government changed its stand and Bawankule was told by the chief minister to take review of the compensation given to the farmers.
Bawankule said that after taking a review, all 138 farmers will be given compensation in accordance with direct negotiations and they will also be given an interest on increased amount of compensation for the period of last eight years. "The additional amount will account to about Rs 38 crore," said the minister. Farmers will get Rs 10 lakh per hectare for barren land, Rs 15 lakh for partially irrigated and Rs 20 lakh per hectare for fully irrigated land as compensation, he added.
When asked about Patil, the minister said the compensation is yet to be finalised, however, Narendra Patil, son of the deceased farmer, will get more than Rs 54 lakh as compensation.
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