 |
| Published in The Hitavada CityLine on May 15, 2013 |
CM announces Rs 1,200 crore
package for Gosikhurd PAPs
* Package will get cabinet nod soon, says Prithviraj Chavan
* A separate office of 120 staffers to be opened specially for implementation of the revised rehabilitation package
* Distribution of package to be done in this financial year
* Package focusses on cash amount in lieu of jobs and alternative farm land, and financial assistance
* Positive decision soon on fishing rights to fishermen’s cooperative societies
By Kartik Lokhande
RAJIV TEKDI (GOSIKHURD), May 14: Twenty five
years back, in April 1988, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi
performed bhoomipujan of Gosikhurd irrigation project. He was
accompanied by the then Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan.
On Tuesday, after 25 years and around a month, another Maharashtra Chief
Minister Prithviraj Chavan paid a visit to the project site, and made
an announcement that is likely to pave way for speedier completion of
the long-delayed project. He announced a revised relief and
rehabilitation package of Rs 1,200 crore, much to the joy of
project-affected persons (PAPs). At the same time, he lamented that
‘rehabilitation first’ (and project later) policy could not be
implemented effectively in Maharashtra.
“Nagpur Divisional Commissioner drafted this revised package. As it was
not possible to allocate funds specially for Gosikhurd PAPs’
rehabilitation from divisible outlay of Rs 8,000 crore available with
Water Resources Department, it was decided to make special allocation of
Rs 1,200 crore outside the department’s budgetary outlay. Soon, the
package will get approval of the State Cabinet,” said Chavan. At the
same time, he appealed to the PAPs to ‘co-operate’ for speedier
completion of the project so that intended objective behind creation of
the project could be achieved.
Later, Chavan told reporters that the special package was prepared after
discussion with Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar,
Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare, Relief and Rehabilitation
Minister Dr Patangrao Kadam, and Minister of State for Water Resources
Rajendra Mulak. “It has been prepared by parting with the existing laws
and policy,” he added. A separate office of 120 staffers would be opened
soon to ensure proper implementation of the package. Asked about
deadline for implementation of the package, Chavan said that it should
be over by the end of current financial year.
Giving details of the package, Chief Minister said that PAPs would be
given cash amounts in lieu of alternative agricultural land and job.
Landless farmers also would be given aid. Financial assistance for
construction of houses to additional families stemming out of original
PAP families would be another component of the package. Assistance for
relocation and for construction of cow-shed would be other parts of the
revised package. Apart from the package, the cut-off date for benefits
of the package also had been extended, added Chavan. He said that
cooperative societies of fishermen would be formed and positive decision
regarding fishing rights would be taken.
 |
| Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan announcing revised rehabilitation
package for PAPs of Gosikhurd at Rajiv Tekdi on Tuesday. Also seen on
dais are Union Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel, Water Resources
Minister Sunil Tatkare, Ramtek MP Mukul Wasnik, Minister of State
Rajendra Mulak and other dignitaries. |
Earlier, addressing the PAPs who had gathered in large numbers at
Gosikhurd national project site, Chavan made certain emotional
references. “I have been trying to come to meet you since long. But, I
took time as I did not want to come empty-handed. I understand woes of
PAPs because my village also was among those affected by Koyna project,”
he added. He lamented that the policy of rehabilitation being given
precedence over project execution could not be implemented effectively.
He also admitted that there were delays and cost escalations on various
accounts ranging from delay in getting environmental clearances to rise
in cost of materials and delay in rehabilitation. “Now is the time to
recognise sacrifice of PAPs, through a better package,” he said.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries Praful Patel, Ramtek MP Mukul
Wasnik, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare, Minister of
State for Water Resources Rajendra Mulak, Gadchiroli MP Marotrao Kowase,
legislators Sudhir Parwe and Rajendra Jain, former MLC S Q Zama, Bandu
Sawarbandhe, Divisional Commissioner B V Gopala Reddy, Executive
Director of VIDC P C Zapke, Nagpur District Collector Saurabh Rao,
Bhandara District Collector Sachindra Pratap Singh also shared the dais
on this occasion.
Despite spending crores, project’s objectives yet unfulfilled: Patel
In
his speech, Praful Patel lamented that despite spending crores of
rupees till date since 1988, the main objectives of Gosikhurd irrigation
project still remained unfulfilled. “Delay in execution causes certain
problems pertaining to rehabilitation, compensation, cost escalation
etc,” he observed. Mentioning that himself, Mukul Wasnik, and Nagpur MP
Vilas Muttemwar had been following up the matter of completion of
Gosikhurd project with the State as well as Centre for long, Patel
expected Chief Minister to clear all pending issues. “With the latest
initiatives, I am sure that the project will finally get completed
soon,” he added.
PAPs should believe CM: Wasnik
Hinting at the revised package
even before Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan could announce it, Ramtek
MP Mukul Wasnik said that PAPs should believe Chavan as he had taken a
serious approach towards removing bottlenecks of various important
projects in Vidarbha including Gosikhurd. He also lamented that despite
cost of Gosikhurd project rising from Rs 372 crore to Rs 13,597 crore in
all these years, the project work could not be completed.
PAPs happy with package, but wait for implementation
Announcement
of the revised package made project-affected persons (PAPs) and their
leaders happy but they said that they would wait for proper
implementation. PAPs’ leaders Vilas Bhongade, Vithobaji Samrit, Ram
Bante and others welcomed Chief Minister with a bouquet. Talking to
reporters they said that they were happy with the revised package as it
was long due. “We have been struggling for this for years together,”
Bhongade said. Meanwhile, MLA Narendra Bhondekar did not share the stage
with Chief Minister and other dignitaries despite repeated requests. He
and his supporters wore black ribbons. Asked about it, he said that he
was neither invited nor intimated about the programme. Commenting on the
package, he said, “Chief Minister’s package is nothing but an eyewash
as it is yet to get cabinet’s nod.”
Comments
Post a Comment