Assuring that the railways will not forcibly acquire land for its projects, railway minister Mamata Banerjee today said those willing to donate land would be adequately compensated.
Assuring that the railways will not forcibly acquire land for its projects, railway minister Mamata Banerjee today said those willing to donate land would be adequately compensated while in areas where land availability is critical, one family member of donors will get employment apart from compensation.
"The railways need land for their projects. But it will not be taken forcibly. We are keeping options open. Willing land donors would be compensated. In critical areas, one family member of the land donor will be provided employment, besides compensation for the land," she said here while laying the foundation stone of the Nalikul-Tarakeswar line doubling project.
Mamata, whose Trinamool Congress made a dramatic comeback in the Lok Sabha polls riding on the back of land acquisition issue in Singur and Nandigram, said, "The lesson we learnt from Singur is that land must not be taken forcibly. After becoming the railway minister, the first thing I did was to create a Railway Land Bank. It now has 1.12 lakh acres."
Stating that "some bad people" try to sabotage railway operations by causing obstructions and even accidents, she asked the common people, especially villagers, to guard the railways, saying anyone foiling such attempts would be given employment.
"You look after the railways and the railways will look after you," she said. Railway employees giving genuine information on sabotage attempts would be given a promotion, besides employment of a member of their family, Mamata said.
Pointing out that the Railways operate 17,000 trains and carry 1.2 crore passengers daily, she said despite its size, railway accidents was only 0.5% of road mishaps.
"Accidents, however small in number, are spots in the otherwise unblemished image of the Railways. It makes me sad. We compensate the families but we cannot bring back the victims," she said.
Stating that one member from the families of railway employees killed in accidents would be given employment besides other compensations, she said, "as long as I am the railway minister, I shall see that the families (of the victims) do not have to beg on the streets."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}