The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has approved compensation of up to four times the market value of agricultural land taken by the central and state governments from farmers in rural areas for critical infrastructure, saying it is being done to speed up the pace of development.
“Farmers will get higher compensation amounts for farmland acquired for critical infrastructure projects such as irrigation systems, roads, bridges, railways and dam construction. This will accelerate the pace of developmental projects and significantly improve the economic conditions of farm families whose land is given,” Minister of State Narendra Shivaji Patel said.
The Cabinet approved the higher compensation on Wednesday under the Madhya Pradesh Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules 2015.
A sub-committee of state ministers made the recommendation to increase the compensation after studying the policies of other states and consulting with farmer organizations and industry bodies, including the Federation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India.
The Council of Ministers also approved the construction of shelters for students enrolled in medical colleges and district hospitals. “These houses will provide accommodation and meals at affordable prices. The provision will be extended to the medical colleges under construction. Patients from far-flung areas often visit these hospitals accompanied by their relatives, many of whom cannot afford to stay outside the buildings and end up sleeping inside the hospital campus. This strains the sanitation and hygiene systems while leaving families without a comfortable place to stay,” Patel said.
The government allocated approx $Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years to develop advanced medical facilities, including catheterization laboratories and transplant units across medical colleges.
