Odisha CM Announces Special Rehab Package For Security Zone Around Jagannath Temple

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a special rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package for the development of a security zone around Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The development project is targeted to be completed before Rath Yatra next year. With this in view, the state government has announced 10 per cent cash incentive for the affected persons and institutions that agree to hand over the property required for the project within 30 days of the package’s notification.

The new R&R package will be implemented as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

The provisions under the new R&R package are:

Acquisition of residential units

For the acquisition of residential units, the compensation amount shall be paid as per provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

— For R&R assistance, a relocation allowance of Rs 50,000 per family will be paid for taking care of expenses related to transportation and immediate arrangements.

—Rental assistance of Rs 10,000 per month will be provided from the date of acquisition of property till handing over of a residential unit/resettlement plot to the displaced family. This will not be applicable in cases in which an affected family or institution opts for one-time house building assistance under the resettlement scheme.

—An affected family or institution can choose from three options under the resettlement scheme.

1) Under the house building assistance scheme, a family can opt for one-time assistance of Rs 30 lakh.

2) Under the R&R housing scheme, a family can opt for allotment of one residential unit with a size of 520 sq feet built-up area in the proposed R&R colony within 1.5 km of the temple complex.

3) Under the resettlement colony scheme, a family can opt for allotment of resettlement plot having size 40×25 feet within 2 km of the temple complex.

Acquisition of shopping units

The compensation criteria for the acquisition of shopping units is as follows:

1. Relocation allowance of Rs 50,000 per unit shall be paid for taking care of expenses related to transportation and immediate arrangements to be made by the shop owners.

2. Monthly compensation of Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 will be given as rental assistance for shops having size less than 200 sq ft, between 200-500 sq ft and more than 500 sq ft built-up area, respectively, from the date of acquisition of the property till handing over of the new shops.

3. The Puri collector will coordinate with various agencies to identify and allot vacant shops or those being developed in various market complexes. This option will be available subject to availability.

Under the resettlement assistance, each shopping unit will be eligible for allotment of a shop in the market complexes to be developed for the purpose.

Acquisition of lodges

For the acquisition of land and properties being used for lodging purposes, relocation allowance of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per lodge will be paid for lodges with a plot area of more than 3,000 sq ft and lodges having a plot area of less than 3,000 sq ft area, respectively. This allowance is to take care of expenses related to transportation and other immediate arrangements to be made by the owners.

—Every lodge owner shall be provided with Rs 25 per sq ft built-up area per month as income support assistance from the date of acquisition of property for a period of 18 months.

—The resettlement assistance for the lodge owners has two options.

1. A lodge owner can opt for one-time assistance of Rs 2,000 per square feet of built-up area.

2. A lodge owner can opt for allotment of one resettlement plot meant for the development of lodging as decided by the Puri collector within 300 meters on either side of Bada Danda (Grand Road). Three standard sizes plots of 50 feet x 30 feet, 50 feet x 40 feet and  50 feet x 60 feet will be made available to the affected lodge owners having an existing built-up area of 1500-3000 sq ft, 3000-4000 sq ft, and more than 4000 sq ft, respectively. These plots will be provided on benchmark valuation and on terms and conditions decided by the collector.

A lodge owner or unit will also be provided with construction assistance of Rs 750 per square feet of the property acquired.

Street vendors

The state government shall provide one-time assistance of Rs 30,000 to each affected street vendor.

Under the street vending plan, the Puri collector will supervise the preparation of a street vending plan as per the provisions of the relevant Act and allocate space to each street vendor to carry out his/her vending activities.

Mutts

The rehabilitation package for the evicted mutts are as follows:

1. The Puri collector in consultation with stakeholders will decide the R&R scheme for the mutts, including the allotment of land, preservation and conservation activities, etc.

2. The deities and gadi (temple on the premises) of the affected mutts will be conserved.

3. The redevelopment plan of each of the mutt will indicate the usage of various components/parts/rooms and the same shall be put to use accordingly. The redevelopment plan will focus on heritage architecture, complementary filiations between Jagannath Temple and the mutt concerned.

4. Adequate parking should be provided for the use of mutts in the redevelopment plan.

5. Shopping units, if any, will be constructed as per the R&R scheme approved by the collector and they shall be provided only at common market complexes.

Since the acquisition of land and properties for this purpose will be done based on negotiations, the Puri collector can finalise the details of additions and changes that may be required from the provisions mentioned with approval of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central Division.

Notably, the state government has accepted certain recommendations of the Justice BP Das Commission of Inquiry. One of the most important recommendations is to develop a safety and security zone around Jagannath Temple. The state government has clarified that there will be no compromise on the security of the temple.