'Centre formulating comprehensive rehabilitation policy'

New Delhi, Jun 7 (UNI) The Centre is formulating a comprehensive rehabilitation policy laying down basic norms and packages for resettlement of Project Affected Families (PAF).

This was stated by Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh after undertaking a review of the progress under the land reform components with Revenue Secretaries of states and Union territories here.

Talking to newspersons, he said state governments have been asked to deliberate on how to strengthen the National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation-2003 so that the grievances of oustees regarding relocation and compensation are adequately addressed.

It was aimed to impart greater flexibility for interaction and negotiation so that the resultant package gained all-round acceptability in the shape of a workable instrument providing satisfaction to all stakeholders/requiring bodies, the Minister said.

Besides, he said state governments have been asked to speed up the implementation of land reforms starting with computerisation of land records in rural areas.

He said his ministry was focussing on strengthening of revenue administration and upgradation of land records in the rural areas which account for about three-fourths of the country's population. The initiative would be funded by the Centre and the respective state governments in the ratio of 50:50.

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