Kolkata: State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Saturday handed over appointment letters of Group D posts to 238 persons who have given their land for the Deocha Pachami coal block project in Birbhum.
The minister also kicked off providing financial assistance to 54 families at the rate Rs 10,000 per month who have not yet attained the age of 18. They will be receiving this assistance till they are 18 years old. At least 354 persons have already been appointed in the post of junior constable.
At the programme, Hakim lashed out at the Opposition alleging efforts on their part to spread misunderstanding about the project.
"Maoists from the neighbouring states have been roped in to terrorise the people here. Their target is to stall the progress of Bengal but the local people rejected all their conspiracies and have come forward for the progress of the project and the state," he said.
Referring to the land protest at Singur, Hakim said that the difference between Singur and Deocha Pachami is the fact that no forcible acquisition of land has been done for the coal project.
"We have provided an attractive package and have taken land only from those who are willing. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that nobody will be forced to give their land," he added.
Apart from Hakim, Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy, state MSME minister Chandranath Sinha and Deputy Speaker of Bengal Assembly Asish Banerjee were present during the programme at Suri.
The project as stated will have the capability of storing power for about 100 years so there will be no power crisis in the state and the power tariff will also get reduced with the state's own infrastructure.
As per the package announced by the state, a person having land in the area will get double the market value of the land along with 100 per cent solatium as land cost, which is around Rs 13 lakh per bigha.
According to the revised compensation package, those with higher qualifications are being provided with a higher grade posting in police or an equivalent posting in other departments namely the Group C category.
The compensation states that long-term occupants in the area will be provided with land patta and a compensation package. There are 12 villages in the area having around 4,314 households with a population of 21,033 (3,601 SCs and 9,034 STs).