Title: Need to announce a special rehabilitation scheme for the people whose land is being acquired for the development of National Highway in Kerala-laid.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Hon. Members, the Matters under Rule 377 shall be laid on the Table of the House. Hon. Members who have been permitted to raise matters under Rule 377 today and are desirous of laying them, may personally hand over slips at the Table of the House within 20 minutes. Only those matters shall be treated as laid for which slips have been received at the Table within the stipulated time and the rest will be treated as lapsed.
SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): In my state of Kerala, the land acquirement is being done by National Highways Authority of India for the expansion of National Highways. It has created lot of problems and difficulties to the general public, who reside on both sides of the National Highway. Thirty years ago the Authority had acquired land up to 30 meters in width for the development of National Highway but till today there is no development. Now, the Authority is planning to acquire land again for the expansion of the Highway up to 45 meters. As Kerala is number one in density of population and the repeated acquirement of land caused lot of problems in the area. Besides this the alignment prepared for the acquirement also raises various doubts about the project. The rehabilitation package announced at national level is not sufficient due to high price of land. The Government has to announce a special rehabilitation scheme for Kerala, which is acceptable to the affected people.