Maharashtra government to give compensation to clear squatters encroaching on public land

The policy was cleared in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

The state will provide a one-time cash compensation to families that have encroached upon government land that is needed for a public project, if they are eligible for it. The policy was cleared in the state Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

The state Cabinet cleared the policy at a meeting held on Wednesday. (HT File Photo/Used for representational purpose)

The government expects the move will help them speed up the land acquisition process. So far, the state used to rehabilitate such families by providing tenements admeasuring 265sqft and 300sqft in urban and semi-urban areas, respectively.

With the new policy, if the houses are not available, the state will provide the cash compensation, ensuring there is no hurdle in acquiring the land.

“The state doesn’t want any delay in public projects. This can be achieved if the land acquisition process is completed in time. On several occasions, a project gets delayed as the government can’t provide tenements to families,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, principal secretary, urban development department

The compensation will be calculated on the basis of ready reckoner rates of the area and size of the tenement, she said.

In areas governed by municipal corporation, the family is eligible for a 269-sqft tenement or cash against the cost based on the ready reckoner rate, if a tenement is not available.

For areas coming under the municipal council, encroachers are eligible for a 300-sqft or cash against the cost of the tenement; in case of rural areas, they are eligible for an open plot of not more than 500-sqft and construction cost of the house under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the government must safeguard interests of people. “There is ambiguity in the decision as the state government will calculate the cost of the tenement based on ready reckoner rates whereas market rates are always higher,” Sawant said.