Rs 50.51 Cr Disbursed to Ranjit Sagar Dam Oustees, Says Govt

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that it has disbursed compensation worth Rs 50.51 crore so far to the families affected by the Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam) project in Basohli constituency, while a total of Rs 71.15 crore has been sanctioned and received for the purpose.

The figures were revealed in a reply to a starred question (No. 632) tabled by MLA Darshan Kumar, who sought details regarding the payment of compensation, reasons for delay, and the employment package promised to displaced families.

According to the Government, the delay in releasing the remaining compensation amount is mainly due to incomplete documentation on the part of several affected landowners. Many of them, it said, failed to submit essential papers such as applications, bank account details, PAN and Aadhaar cards required for the transfer of compensation.

The Government said that the district administration has repeatedly issued public notices urging landowners to furnish the required documents so that compensation can be disbursed to rightful beneficiaries without further delay.

On the issue of employment to displaced persons, the Government referred to its Order No. 340-PW(Hyd) of 2018 dated September 28, 2018, which stipulates that jobs to oustees of the Thein Dam (Ranjit Sagar Dam) project will be provided by the Government of Punjab as per the jointly agreed Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy of both states.

So far, 816 affected persons have been provided employment, while the cases of 861 remaining eligible individuals have been taken up by the district administration with the concerned dam authorities for necessary action.

The Ranjit Sagar Dam, constructed on the Ravi River, is a major inter-state hydroelectric project jointly developed by the Governments of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. While the dam has contributed significantly to power generation and irrigation in the region, thousands of residents in Basohli and adjoining areas were displaced during its construction, making compensation and rehabilitation a long-standing issue.