A crucial meeting of the Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) concerning the NLC coal mine and thermal power project was successfully held for the Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts.
Chaired by the Northern Division Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Sangram Keshari Mohapatra (IAS), the meeting prioritized the fundamental rights and socio-economic challenges of the project-affected local populace.
Sambalpur Member of Parliament Dharmendra Pradhan attended the session, leading in-depth discussions on safeguarding the welfare of the displaced residents. Emphasizing the historical context of the region, Shri Pradhan pointed out that many families in the area were previously displaced during the construction of the Hirakud Dam and are now bearing the brunt of a new project. He stressed that since the demographic consists largely of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and economically disadvantaged groups, protecting their interests must be the administration’s highest priority.
The high-level meeting witnessed the participation of several key stakeholders, including Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy, Rengali MLA Sudarshan Haripal, the Northern Range IGP, Jharsuguda Collector Kunal Motiram Chavan, and Sambalpur Collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar. Representatives from NLC, including the CMD, Director (Power), ED (Mines), and ED (Thermal Power Project), were present alongside displaced villagers and members of local Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs), who actively voiced their concerns.
The comprehensive agenda covered land acquisition, the provision of fair and enhanced compensation, comprehensive rehabilitation, local employment, self-employment opportunities, skill development, and environmental protection. Special emphasis was placed on identifying and rectifying discrepancies in the structural valuation of homes, addressing calculation errors in compensation, and resolving pending payment and interest rate issues. The committee also reviewed specific outlier cases and the rollout of the fifth phase of rehabilitation and peripheral development.
To ensure rapid response to the daily grievances of the affected citizens, the committee resolved to form a dedicated Sub-Committee. Locals will now be able to present their issues directly to this sub-committee, ensuring that grievances are systematically documented and addressed in subsequent RPDAC meetings. Discussions also touched upon the operational hurdles faced by NLC and strategies to curb anti-social activities in the project areas.
Jharsuguda MLA Tankadhar Tripathy reassured the public regarding job security, stating, “Special attention is being given to ensure maximum employment for local youth in this project. Fulfilling every legitimate demand of the affected people 100 percent is our main goal. We have thoroughly discussed all local grievances, and with the cooperation of the administration and company authorities, permanent solutions will be implemented very soon.”
Concluding the session, Shri Pradhan expressed optimism that NLC authorities will promptly and accurately execute the directives issued by the RDC-led RPDAC committee, reaffirming that the state administration’s primary objective remains the definitive resolution of public grievances and the protection of their rightful entitlements.
A crucial RPDAC meeting for the NLC coal & thermal project was held in Sambalpur/Jharsuguda today.
Chaired by Northern RDC, with MP @dpradhanbjp & MLA @TankadharBJP, key decisions included forming a grievance sub-committee & ensuring fair compensation for locals. 🏭⚖️
#NLCProject #Sambalpur #Jharsuguda #OdishaNews #Rehabilitation #LocalEmployment #DharmendraPradhan
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