Arunachal Pradesh people may get compensation for land acquired in 1962

NEW DELHI: After a wait of 55 years, several thousand residents in Arunachal Pradesh may get an unexpected surprise in the form of compensation for land acquired by the army following the 1962 war with China.

The central and Arunachal Pradesh governments are working out for the compensation, which may be to the tune Rs 3,000 crore.

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and senior officials of the central and state governments discussed the issue at an hour-long meeting held here yesterday.

Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said the meeting was to settle the issue of land acquired for various defence establishments in the frontier state following the 1962 war with China.

"Although the people of Arunachal Pradesh can be branded as ultra patriotic Indians but of late a sense of resentment has been brewing among them due to non-payment of compensation for huge areas of land occupied by the army," Rijiju told PTI.

Bhamre is said to have asked officials in his ministry and the army to fast-track all the pending issues by properly coordinating with each other and the state government.

Rijiju has called for resolving all issues and clear pending cases in a time-bound manner. He sought from the officials the time they will take in clearing all the issues that came up for discussion during the meeting.

Khandu conveyed that issues of lease rate, grant of ownership rights, payment of dual compensation and fixation of land rates will be resolved soon.

The chief minister said the Arunachal Pradesh cabinet has already constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of state land management minister to examine all pending issues.

The pending cases of land acquisition related to the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley, West Siang besides others.