Flagship projects worth crores hit land hurdles

Ranchi: Displacement, inadequate rehabilitation and resettlement policies and protests continue to be a stumbling block on the state's path to industrialization. Proposed projects worth around Rs 15 lakh crore is yet to see the light of the day because of difficulties in land acquisition. Almost every proposed project in the state has either been delayed or pulled out due to reluctance of locals to part with their land.Even Central PSUs like NTPC and SAIL are facing stiff opposition in getting land.
The biggest blows to Jharkhand came when ArcelorMittal, which signed an MoU in 2005 for investing about Rs 40,000 crore in form of a steel plant, decided to withdraw. Early this year, Reliance Power, which bagged the bid for 4000MW Tilaiya Ultra Mega Power Plant, also withdrew from the state. Jindal Steel and Power Limited also applied brakes on its 1920MW proposed power plant in Godda after the Supreme Court cancelled its coal block -Adani Group got hold of the same Jitpur coal block in the re-auction, but the compamy continues to face challenges from locals in acquiring land.
Despite protests, the government has failed to bring homogeneity in land acquisition. Those protesting land acquisition in Barkagaon, Keredari and Chatti Bariatu have managed to get the rate of compensation for per acre of land increased to Rs 20 lakh from the proposed Rs 3 lakh.
JMM, main opposition in the state, says they are not against industrialisation and development, but want people to be given their rightful share. "Industrialisation is necessary, but not at the cost of villagers' lives," said JMM spokesperson and MLA Kunal Shadangi.
One of the key anti-displacement activists, Dayamani Barla said people were cheated by corporates and PSUs and are no longer ready to part with their land. "We have HEC and CCL experiences in which several displaced people have n't got compensation," she said.