Nagpur: As per the assurance given by the Central government earlier of paying 4 times compensation for land acquired for infrastructure development, the Maharashtra government has promised 4 times compensation for agricultural land that will be acquired for erecting towers for power transmission.
This was announced by Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Energy Minister of Maharashtra in Vidhan Bhawan today while replying to Babanrao Shinde’s querry on compensation of towers in Sholapur district.
He said the matter would be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting that will be held within 15 days.
When the discussion on this subject was on, Congress MLA of Saoner Sunil Kedar, expressed protest for what he called ‘forceful grabbing’ of farmers’ lands for the purpose of towers by Electricity Department. He asked for officers who followed such coercive practice to be punished.
Bawankule stressed the point that towers were necessary for power transmission and development of the state. Land can be acquired from owners under the Central Telegraph Act 1885.
MLA Sunil Deshmukh informed the House that Power Company RattanIndia Amraoti is on the verge of shut down. Who will pay compensation to farmers whose land was taken over for this project, he asked.
Bawankule replied that no matter whether the plant was running or not, farmers would receive stipulated compensation from the state government.
