Mamata woos land owners ahead of ambitious Deucha Panchami coal project

West Bengal government offers financial compensation, housing and employment for people who donate land for ambitious Deucha Panchami coal excavation project. While addressing the Assembly, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the project would be the second-biggest coal block in the world and the biggest in the country

Kolkata: The West Bengal government is wooing land owners with lucrative compensation package as the state is gearing up to commence the ambitious Deucha Panchami coal excavation project. The compensation package for the donors include financial aid of Rs10-13lakhs, housing and employment.

Deaucha Panchami is a coal mine situated in Deucha and Panchami areas under the Mohamadbazar community development block in the Birbhum district. There are about 2102 million tonnes of coal reserves in the Deaucha Panchami coal block. The task for developing the coal block has been entrusted upon West Bengal Power Development Corporation.

While addressing the state Assembly on Tuesday, Banerjee said that the government will not tread in the path of former Left Front government while acquiring private land for industries. Banerjee said that although the project will start on government land in the initial phase, there will be a requirement for private land for the project expansion in future.

She said that the government has an attractive triple compensation package comprising price for the land, housing and employment for a member of the donor family. She said that the model colonies will be developed for providing housing for the land donors.

“This is going to be the second-biggest coal block in the world and the biggest in the country. Once the project starts there will be a massive increase in the supply of coal and hence there will be no scarcity of power,” said Banerjee.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress sources said that the chief minister has already instructed the district party leadership to start interacting with the local people and start convincing them to donate land for the project.

The chief minister has also mentioned about some forthcoming industrial projects in the state. “The Tajpur port will be developed shortly. Apart from that, there are proposals for investment to the tune of Rs72,000 crore at Raghunathpur in Purulia district.”

A social impact assessment report on the families residing in 3,500 acres of land has already been submitted. According to the state government estimates, once the coal excavations start, around 2,00,000 people will get employment there.