Gupta's push for fair farmer payout to speed up land acquisition for Raj-Delhi Power Project: CMO

New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's efforts to ensure adequate compensation to farmers will pave the way for faster land acquisition and timely completion of the Rajasthan-Delhi transmission system, an official statement said on Monday.

The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) is implementing an interstate transmission system project for power supply from Rajasthan to Delhi, the chief minister's office (CMO) said in the statement.

The transmission line will pass through nearly 20 villages in North and North-West Delhi, including Auchandi, Harewali, Mungeshpur and Qutubgarh. It will further boost power supply in the national capital, it said.

As a part of this project, a sub-station is also to be established in Narela, besides laying of the transmission lines, it said.

Previously, several rounds of discussions failed to achieve a consensus over land valuation and compensation rates, thereby risking delays to the project. Significantly, even after receiving compensation, farmers would retain ownership rights over their land, said the statement.

The chief minister, to break this impasse, recently convened a high-level meeting attended by senior officials from the PGCIL and the Delhi government’s revenue and power departments.

She made it clear that her government is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers and emphasised that the success of any project is only possible when there is trust and fair participation from the local community.

"We have ensured that farmers receive just and appropriate compensation for the use of their land," she said.

After the chief minister intervened with a farmer-friendly approach, "consensus has already been reached on land valuation and fair compensation in several villages, with others also moving towards agreement," the CMO said.

With her "sustained efforts and decisive initiative", the chief minister has set Delhi's power supply on course to become more reliable and robust, it said.

The chief minister has stated that the government's decision not only provides justice to farmers in line with their rightful entitlements but also clears the path for the project's progress.

This outcome will help Delhi meet its rising energy needs in a stable and reliable manner, Gupta said.

This long-standing deadlock has been resolved because her government is not only serious about the capital's development but also demonstrates firm political will and a sensitive approach to addressing the concerns of farmers, she added. PTI VIT RHL