Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.

… According to sources, the Haryana and Orissa governments have decided to put in place a policy making it mandatory for developers to employ a member from every family in a village affected by a SEZ project.

The Cabinet, in October, approved the National Policy on Rehabilitation & Resettlement, 2007, to replace the National Policy on Resettlement & Rehabilitation for Project-Affected Families, 2003. “The policy can incorporate minor changes, if needed, for the welfare of rural folk,” an official in the rural development ministry said.

A National Rehabilitation Commission would be set up by the Centre, which will be empowered to exercise independent oversight over the rehabilitation and resettlement of affected families.

To ensure transparency, there would be a provision for mandatory dissemination of information on displacement, rehabilitation and resettlement, with names of the affected persons and details of the rehabilitation packages. Such information would also be placed in the public domain by the gram panchayats.

People would, however, be given jobs according to their qualifications. The government is of the view that salaries should at least match what an individual was earning before being displaced.

“We are also in the process of setting up a mechanism through which the affected communities would be duly informed and consulted at each stage, including public hearings in the affected areas for social impact assessment,” the official said.