Complaints received on Polavaram R&R works: Centre

New Delhi/ Amaravati: Union minister of state for Jal Shakti, Ratan Lal Kataria, here on Thursday said complaints regarding irregularities in rehabilitation and resettlement ((R&R) activities had been received by the ministry.

He was replying to a question of YSRCP MPs Y S Avinash Reddy and K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, on a query related to irregularities in the project-related work.

The minister said the works of rehabilitation and resettlement for Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP) are being carried out by the government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP). As reported by the state government, it has received 11 petitions concerning irregularities in R&R works. Out of these, six petitions have been forwarded to concerned district collectors; four petitions to PIP administration; and balance one petition to vigilance and enforcement department of the state for further necessary action. He further added that the state government had set up R & R implementation mechanism as below: District collector of the district concerned for proposed land acquisition; commissioner (R & R), Andhra Pradesh for supervising formulation of R & R schemes or plans and proper implementation of such schemes or plans; is also the chairman of the State Level Grievance Redressal Cell and a project administrator (Ex-Officio joint collector) has been assigned to speed up land acquisition (LA) & RR works. Further, all officials related with R&R activities for PIP have been brought under single line control of project administrator.

Further, in September, 2017, department of water resources, river development and ganga rejuvenation constituted a monitoring committee with secretary, ministry of tribal affairs as its Chairperson, to oversee the implementation of LA and R&R works.

The committee had met five times since its constitution. This apart, in accordance with the provisions of Section 48 of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, a national monitoring committee under the chairmanship of secretary, department of land resources had been constituted to review and monitor the implementation of R&R schemes or plans related to RFCTLARR Act, 2013 and National Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy, 2007, he added.