MIDC official said a model rehabilitation has become a mandatory requirement in view of the resistance from farmers for giving up their land and the increasing demand for land from the industrial sector. Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh during his recent visit to Pune had also expressed concern over the “stiff resistance from farmers.”
As the one-time payment policy has not found favour with farmers, MIDC has decided to offer the rehabilitation package whose basic thrust will be helping farmers get sustained income life long. A senior MIDC official said the land acquisitions were getting difficult and it was the need of the hour to acquire the land with least resistance.
“Four villages had come forward for the Khed Special Economic Zone by Bharat Forge Ltd which has acquired 2000 hectares of land. We had given the farmers a special package which was well received. For MIDC acquisitions at Ranjangaon and Chakan Phase IV where there are 71 hectares and 400 hectares respectively, we want to work out a rehabilitation package which will benefit the farmers life long,” the official said. “MIDC already has a rehabilitation package in place. The package, which includes a 15 per cent buy back policy for the farmers, has encouraged farmers to establish a company to buy back a larger chunk of land. These and many other policies will be kept in mind when we frame the ideal rehabilitation package for farmers for these two acquisitions,’’ the official said.
With most of the rehabilitation packages being area specific, MIDC is looking for some kind of a model project which they can showcase during future acquisitions. In the Khed SEZ, four villages — three in Khed taluka and one in Shirur taluka — had decided to accept the settlement and rehabilitation package. The package included guaranteed employment to one member as well as vocational training for others. “Similar policies will have to be worked out for all land acquisitions in the future,” officials said.