Railways to give job, market price for land acquired.

Railways has decided to introduce a 'Job-for-land' policy under which one member of each family whose land was acquired will be given a permanent job besides entailing market price for such lands.



"We have recently notified the new policy entailing market price for land acquired as well as a railway job for displaced families," said a senior Railway Ministry official.



As per the notification, only one person from each family will be offered jobs for lands acquired. In case the land is owned by more than one person, a Competent Authority as defined by the Railway (Amendment Act 2008) will decide who shall be considered an applicant, he said.



Zonal railways are being instructed to invite job applications from those whose lands are being acquired, the official said.



However, the policy stipulated that it "must be ensured that the displaced person has not received any land from the state government in lieu of his or her land being acquired for the project."



Railways administration should request the concerned competent authorities to issue certificates to those persons whose land has been acquired to facilitate proper verification of the claims.



The change in the policy comes in the wake of Railways facing stiff protest in UP against land acquisitions for the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC).



Railways are to acquire more than 20,000 acres of land for the Western DFC and Eastern DFC.



Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had already announced in a public meeting in West Bengal that her ministry would consider providing job to one member of each family whose land was being acquired for railway projects.

SOURCE;INDIAN EXPRESS