Question : NATIONAL REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT POLICY FOR MINING ACTIVITIES

(a) whether lakhs of tribals in the country especially in West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand have been rendered landless/displaced due to acquisition of their land for mining activities;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the data of the displaced population, State-wise;

(c) the details of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy of the Government framed for the purpose of providing relief and rehabilitation packages in such cases;

(d) whether any time frame has been fixed for their rehabilitation; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not,the reasons therefor alongwith other corrective measures taken/proposed to be taken in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINES(SHRI DINSHA PATEL)

(a) & (b): Data on rehabilitation of displaced persons due to acquisition of land for mining activitie is not maintained centrally.

(c) to (e): The National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007 has been formulated with an objective to address concerns on involuntary displacement through a quantification of the costs and benefits that will accrue to society at large, and of the desirability and justifiability of each project, after assessment of the adverse economic, environmental, social and cultural impact on affected families, assessed in participatory and transparent manner. The new policy has been notified in the Official Gazette and has become operative with effect from the 31st October, 2007, based on which many State Governments have their own Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policies. Further with a view to bring in an unified legislation dealing with acquisition of land, provide for just and fair compensation, and make adequate provisions for rehabilitation and resettlement, and to ensure a humane, participatory, informed consultative and transparent process for land acquisition for industrialization, development of essential infrastructural facilities and urbanization with the least disturbance to the owners of the land and other affected families and provide just and fair compensation to the affected families whose land has been acquired or proposed to be acquired or are affected by such acquisition, and make adequate provisions for such affected persons for their rehabilitation and resettlement thereof, and for ensuring that the cumulative outcome of compulsory acquisition should be that affected persons become partners in development leading to an improvement in their post acquisition social and economic status and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, the Government has introduced draft Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011 in the Parliament, which is presently referred to a Standing Committee.