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JHARKHAND RIGHT TO FAIR COMPENSATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN LAND ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT RULES, 2015

JHARKHAND RIGHT TO FAIR COMPENSATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN LAND ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT RULES, 2015

JHARKHAND RIGHT TO FAIR COMPENSATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN LAND ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT RULES, 2015

JHARKHAND RIGHT TO FAIR COMPENSATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN LAND ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT RULES, 2015[1]

PREAMBLE

The following draft of certain rules, which the Governor of the State of Jharkhand proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 109 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (30 of 2013) is hereby published, as required by Section 112 of the said Act, for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby; and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date of publication in the State Gazette;

2. Any objection or suggestion which may be received from any person with respect to the said draft rules within the period so specified shall be considered by the State Government; Objections or suggestions, if any, may be sent to the Director (Land Acquisition), Department of Revenue and Land Reforms, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi.

DRAFT RULES

CHAPTER-I : GENERAL

Rule - 1. Short title, extent and commencement.

(1)     These rules may be called the Jharkhand Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules, 2015.

(2)     They extend to the whole of the State of Jharkhand.

(3)     They shall come into force on the date of their final publication in the State Gazette.

Rule - 2. Definitions.

(1)     In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,

(a)      "Act" means the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (30 of 2013);

(b)      "Administrator" means an officer appointed by the State Government under sub-section (1) of Section 43;

(c)      "Affected area" means village or ward in which land is being acquired.

(d)      "Appropriate Government" means the State Government and includes the Deputy Commissioner of the District concerned, appointed by the State Government for the area notified under proviso to the clause (e) of Section 3;

(e)      "Authority" means the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority/authorities established by the State Government under sub-section (1) of Section 51;

(f)       "Collector" means the Deputy Commissioner of the district and includes the Additional Collector/Additional Deputy Commissioner and any other officer designated by the State Government to perform all or any of the functions of the Collector under the Act i.e. District Land Acquisition Officer and Special Land Acquisition Officer.

(g)      "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Resettlement as notified by the State Government;

(h)     "Form" means Form to these rules;

(i)       "Section" means section of the Act;

(j)       "SIA" means Social Impact Assessment;

(k)      "SIA Unit" means an agency or agencies notified by the State Government to carry out the Social Impact Assessment Study and prepare Social Impact Management Plan;

(l)       "Social Impact Assessment" means an assessment being made under sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act;

(m)    "Social Impact Management Plan" means the plan prepared as part of Social Impact Assessment Process under sub-section (6) of Section 4 of the Act;

(n)     "State Government" means the Government of Jharkhand;

(o)      "Gram Sabha" means Gram Sabha as defined in the Jharkhand Panchayat Raj Act, 2001.

(p)      "Urban Area" means Municipal Area as defined in the "Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011.

(2)     Words and expressions used and not defined in these rules but defined in the Act, shall have the meaning respectively assigned to them in the Act.

CHAPTER-II : PROPOSAL FOR LAND ACQUISITION

Rule - 3. Proposal for land Acquisition.

(1)     Proposal for land acquisition shall be submitted by the Requiring Body to the Collector in Form I together with following documents, as the case may be:

(i)       Proposal in Form I.

(ii)      Detailed Project Report.

(iii)     Administrative Approval/Proposal of the concerned department/Requiring body.

(iv)    Estimated cost of the project.

(v)      Three copies of village map(s) showing the lands to be acquired.

(vi)    Certified copies of the khatiyan of the lands to be acquired.

(vii)   Information as to whether the land is irrigated multi-cropped land. If it is irrigated multi-cropped land, whether it is covered under the proviso to Section 10; if not, then what are the demonstrable exceptional circumstances for acquiring the land.

(viii)  Any other document or information required by the Collector.

(2)     Upon receipt of the proposal, the Collector shall constitute a team of Revenue, Agriculture Officers, Forest Officers and any other officers authorized by the Collector of the district to visit the spot and enquire whether the proposal is consistent with the provisions contained in Section 10. The team shall make field visits with the requiring body, examine the revenue records, meet the families likely to be affected and submit a report to the Collector regarding the proposal being consistent or contrary to the provisions contained in Section 10:

Provided that no such enquiry shall be required in cases where the proposal has been made for the projects covered by the proviso to Section 10.

(3)     If the Collector, based on the report of the team, other information available with him and instructions issued by the State Government in this regard, is satisfied that the proposal is consistent with the provisions contained under Section 10; he shall pass a speaking order to this effect. If he is satisfied that the proposal is not consistent with the said provisions, he shall record the reasons in writing and return the proposal to the requiring body.

(4)     If the Collector is satisfied that proposed land can be acquired, he shall calculate the cost of undertaking SIA, and direct Requiring Body to deposit the same. However, the estimated cost of acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement shall be deposited before publication of declaration under Section 19(1).

(5)     After deposit of the estimated cost of acquisition, the appropriate Government shall proceed with the acquisition in accordance with the Act and these Rules.

(6)     The proviso to sub-clause V of clause (e) of Section 3 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (no. 30 of 2013) the State Government hereby declares the maximum limit of land to be acquired for public purpose under the said Act by the Collector of the State in their jurisdiction and Collector of such district shall be deemed to be appropriate Government.

Sl. No.

The Purpose of Land Acquisition

The area proposed for acquisition of Private Land

Appropriate Government.

1.

Public Purpose

upto 5000 Hectares

Deputy Commissioner

2.

Public Purpose

above 5000 Hectares

State Government

Rule - 4. Manner of depositing Cost of Acquisition by Requiring Body.

(1)     The estimated cost of acquisition and other charges to be deposited by the requiring body under sub-rule (4) of Rule 3 shall be the approximate value of land, value of the assets standing on the said land, solatium and any other additional compensation amount provided under the Act, rent of the land for 25 years together with the specified establishment and contingency charges. However, ten per cent of the gross rental amount would be deducted on account of collection charges.

(2)     Establishment charges shall be as follows:

(i)       Establishment Charge for Land Acquisition shall be 5 per cent of compensation.

(ii)      Establishment charge of Rehabilitation and Resettlement shall be 5 per cent of the Rehabilitation & Resettlement compensation.

(iii)     Establishment Charge for SIA study will be 5 per cent of the SIA fee.

(3)     The contingency charges shall be 0.5 per cent of the SIA fee, compensation amount of land award and Rehabilitation and Resettlement award.

(4)     The requiring body shall deposit the estimated cost of acquisition including establishment and contingency charges by way of bank draft to the Collector and the Collector shall deposit the cost of Land Acquisition in the Public Deposit Account in the district treasury.

(5)     The Collector shall thereafter cause to deposit the Establishment Charges in the land revenue head-0029008000001 through challan.

(6)     The Collector shall also cause to deposit the contingency charges in the savings account to be jointly operated by District Land Acquisition Officer and Deputy Commissioner. The contingency charges shall be spent on stationery, other contingent expenses like expenses on computer, computer operator, Amins, Drafts men or any purpose as decided by Deputy Commissioner.

(7)     The requiring body shall have to deposit the remaining amount, if any, after final estimate is prepared and any excess amount if awarded by the Authority or a competent court in the same manner.

(8)     The requiring body shall also be required to deposit the amount calculated for Rehabilitation and Resettlement with the appropriate Government for project affected person in the same manner.

CHAPTER-III : SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Rule - 5. Exemption from Social Impact Assessment Study.

Where any land is proposed to be acquired invoking urgency provisions under Section 40, or any other Social Impact Assessment Study exempted public purpose project, Deputy Commissioner shall pass speaking order for exemption from undertaking Social Impact Assessment Study in such acquisition.

In cases where State Govt. is Appropriate Government, the Collector shall submit his recommendation to State Government and based on which the State Government shall pass such a speaking order which will be communicated to the Collector. The Collector thereafter shall proceed with the acquisition in accordance with the Act and these Rules.

Rule - 6. Social Impact Assessment Study.

(1)     The Appropriate Government shall, for the purposes of the Act, issue a notification for carrying out Social Impact Assessment (SIA) in accordance with Part-B of FORM-II of these rules and the same shall be made available in the Hindi language to the Gram Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation, Notified Area Committee and cantonment areas the case may be, and in the offices of the Deputy Commissioner, the Sub-Divisional Officer, Additional Collector, District Land Acquisition Officer, Special Land Acquisition Officer and the Anchal Adhikari. The notification shall also be published in two daily Hindi and English news papers circulating in the affected area, and also by way of a public notice in Hindi language to be published by affixing it at some conspicuous places in the affected areas and shall be uploaded on the website of the Appropriate Government. The Appropriate Government shall notify the name of the SIA Unit to carry out such Social Impact Assessment Study:

Provided that, such notification shall be issued within a period of thirty days from the date of deposit of the processing fee for carrying the SIA study by the Requiring Body, as determined by the State Government under sub-rule (1) of Rule 7.

(2)     The SIA shall be conducted in consultation with concerned Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation, as the case may be, at village level or ward level in the affected areas, for the purposes of Section 4 of the Act, followed by a public hearing at the affected areas by giving adequate publicity about the date and time and venue for the public hearing to ascertain the views of the affected families which shall be recorded in writing.

(3)     The Social Impact Assessment Report shall be submitted in FORM-III to these rules to the Appropriate Government within a period of six months from the date of its commencement and shall include the views of the affected families recorded in writing.

(4)     The Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) listing the ameliorative measures required to be undertaken for addressing the impact of the project under sub-section (6) of Section 4 shall be submitted in FORM-IV to these rules to the Appropriate Government.

(5)     The SIA Report and the Social Impact Management Plan shall be made available in the Hindi language to the concerned Gram Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation, at village level or urban ward level in the affected areas and in the Offices of the Deputy Commissioner, Additional Collector, District Land Acquisition Officer, Special Land Acquisition Officer, Sub-Divisional Officer and Anchal Adhikari. Summary of Social Impact Assessment report and Social Impact Management Plan shall also be published in two daily newspapers circulating in the affected areas, and also by way of a public notice to be published by affixing it at some conspicuous places in the affected areas and shall be uploaded in the website of the Appropriate Government.

Rule - 7. Institutional support and facilitation for Social Impact Assessment

(1)     The State Government shall notify an agency or agencies as a State SIA unit for carrying out the Social Impact Assessment study. The State SIA unit shall be responsible for ensuring that SIA is conducted through SIA team as per the provision of the Act for all cases of land acquisition.

(2)     The State SIA Unit shall undertake the following tasks namely:

(a)      build and continuously expand a State Database of Qualified SIA Resource Partners and Practitioners, which will serve as a network of individuals and institutions with the required skills and capacities to conduct SIAs for land acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement;

(b)      respond immediately to the State Government or Deputy Commissioner's request for an SIA to be conducted by preparing a project-specific Terms of Reference (hereinafter referred to as ToR);

(c)      conduct training and capacity building programmes for the SIA team and community and make available manuals, tools, comparative case study reports and other materials required for the analysis;

(d)      provide ongoing support and corrective action, as required during the SIA process;

(e)      as early as possible, the transaction based web-based workflow for SIAs and MIS for land acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement as specified in Rule 15 is maintained and that all relevant documents are disclosed as per the provisions of the Act;

(f)       maintain, catalogue of all SIAs and associated primary material; and

(g)      continuously review, evaluate and strengthen the quality of SIAs and the capacities available to conduct them across the State.

(3)     If at any stage, the SIA team or SIA Unit is unable to complete the SIA process and prepare the SIA Report or SIMP due to incapacity or otherwise, the Appropriate Government shall blacklist the SIA team or SIA Unit through a show cause. It may allot the SIA study to another SIA Unit or constitute another SIA team, as the case may be, to complete the Social Impact Assessment Process.

Rule - 8. Project-specific Terms of Reference (ToR) and Processing Fee for the SIA.

(1)     Where the Appropriate Government intends to acquire land, the proposal for such land acquisition shall be sent along with all the relevant documents to the State SIA Unit, which shall-

(a)      prepare a detailed project-specific ToR for each proposal of land acquisition, listing all the activities that must be carried out indicating the appropriate team size (and number of field teams) and profile of the team members, and stipulate the schedule and deadlines for key deliverables for the SIA as detailed in Part-A of FORM-II to these rules;

(b)      determine in consultation with the Appropriate Government an estimated SIA fee based on the ToR with clear break-up of costs for each item or activity. The fee amount shall be based on defined parameters including area, type of project and number of affected families.

(2)     Ten per cent of the SIA fee shall be allocated to SIA Unit as administrative expenses for preparing the Terms of Reference (ToR) and estimated SIA fee report and to submit the same to the Appropriate Government.

(3)     The Requiring Body shall deposit the SIA fee in the Scheduled Bank account of the Collector opened for the purpose.

Rule - 9. Selection of the SIA team

(1)     The State SIA Unit shall be responsible for selecting the SIA team for each project from the individuals and institutions registered or empanelled in the State Database of Qualified SIA Resource Partners and Practitioners.

(2)     The Requiring Body shall not be involved in any way in the appointment of the SIA team being appointed to carry out the SIA.

(3)     The size and selection criteria for the SIA team shall be as per the project-specific ToR developed by the State SIA Unit.

(4)     The SIA team may be constituted by appointing individuals or an organization with experience in conducting SIAs or related field-based assessments and the team may include at least one women member.

(5)     A team leader shall be appointed from amongst the SIA team to liaison with the State SIA Unit throughout the assessment period.

(6)     While selecting the SIA team, it is to be ensured that there is no conflict of interest involving the team members appointed to assess the concerned project.

(7)     (i) If at any stage, it is found that any team member or any family member of the team member directly or indirectly receives any benefit from the Requiring Body or any other stakeholder in the project, the said member shall be disqualified.

(ii) All the members of the SIA team shall give an undertaking that any team member or any family member of the team member directly or indirectly shall not receive any benefit from the Requiring Body or any stake holder in the project.

Rule - 10. Process of conducting the Social Impact Assessment.

(1)     The SIA team shall collect and analyze a range of quantitative and qualitative data, undertake detailed site visits, use participatory methods such as focussed group discussions, participatory rural appraisal techniques and informal interviews in preparing the Social Impact Assessment report.

(2)     All relevant project reports and feasibility studies shall be made available to the 'SIA team throughout the SIA process, as required. Any request for information from SIA team shall be met at the earliest but not exceeding seven days. The Deputy Commissioner shall be responsible for providing the information which is available on record requisitioned by the SIA team.

(3)     A detailed assessment based on a thorough analysis of all relevant land records and data, field verification, review and comparison with similar projects shall be conducted by the SIA team. The assessment shall determine the following, namely:

(a)      area of impact under the proposed project, including both land to be acquired and areas that will be affected by environmental, social or other impacts of the project;

(b)      area and location of land proposed to be acquired for the project;

(c)      the land proposed for acquisition is the bare minimum required;

(d)      possible alternative sites for the project and their feasibility;

(e)      whether the land proposed for acquisition is irrigated multi-cropped land and if so, whether the acquisition is a demonstrable last resort;

(f)       land, if any, already purchased, alienated, leased or acquired, and the intended use for each plot of land required for the project;

(g)      the possibility of use of Government unutilized and unsettled land for the project.

(h)     nature of the land, present use and classification, of land and if it is an agricultural land, the irrigation coverage for the said land and the cropping pattern;

(i)       the special provisions with respect to food security have been adhered to in the proposed land acquisition;

(j)       size of holdings, ownership patterns, land distribution, number of residential houses, and public and private infrastructure and assets; and

(k)      land prices and recent changes in ownership, transfer and use of lands over the last three years.

(4)     Based on the land assessment, land records and field verification, the SIA team shall provide an accurate estimate of the number of affected families and the number of displaced families among them and ensure that, as far as possible, all affected families are enumerated:

Provided that where enumeration is not possible, a representative sample shall be done.

(5)     A socio-economic and cultural profile of the affected area must be prepared, based on available data and statistics, field visits and consultations as per FORM-III to these rules:

Provided that in projects where resettlement is required, the identified resettlement sites shall be visited and a brief socio-economic profile of the land and its current resident population shall be indicated.

(6)     Based on the data collected in processes listed above and in consultation with the affected communities and key stakeholders, the SIA team shall identify and assess the nature, extent and intensity of the positive and negative social impacts associated with the proposed project and land acquisition as per FORM-III to these rules.

(7)     i. The SIA process includes the preparation of a Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP), which will present the ameliorative measures to be undertaken to address the social impacts identified in the course of the assessment.

ii. The SIA team must assess the viability of impact mitigation and management strategies with clear indication of costs, timelines and capacities.

iii. The SIMP shall include the following measures

(a)      that have been specified in the terms of Rehabilitation and Resettlement and compensation for all the categories of affected families as outlined in the Act;

(b)      that the Requiring Body has stated that it will undertake in the project proposal and other relevant project documents; and

(c)      that additional measures being undertaken by the Requiring Body, which has been undertaken by it in response to the findings of the SIA process and public hearings.

(d)      The SIA team must provide a conclusive assessment of the balance and distribution of the adverse social impacts and social costs and benefits of the proposed project and land acquisition, including the mitigation measures, and provide an assessment as to whether the benefits from the proposed project exceed the social costs and adverse social impacts that are likely to be experienced by the affected families or even after the proposed mitigation measures, the affected families remained at risk of being economically or socially worse, as a result of the said land acquisition and resettlement.

Rule - 11. Process for conducting public hearings.

(1)     Public hearings shall be held in the affected areas to bring out the main findings of the SIA, seeking feedback on the findings and to seek additional information and views for incorporating the same in the final documents.

(2)     Public hearings shall be conducted in the Gram Sabhas or Ward Sabha of the affected areas.

(3)     The date and venue of the public hearing must be announced and publicized two weeks in advance through public notice, advertisement in two daily Hindi and English newspapers and uploading the information on the website of the Appropriate Government.

(4)     i. The draft SIA report and Social Impact Management Plan shall be published in the Hindi language two weeks prior to the public hearing and distributed to all affected Gram Panchayats and Municipal offices. One copy of the draft report shall be made available in the Deputy Commissioner's office.

ii. The Requiring Body may also be served with a copy of the draft report. Adequate copies of the report and summaries shall be made available on the day of the public hearing.

(5)     A member of the SIA team shall facilitate the public hearing. The concerned Anchal Adhikari, Circle Inspector and Halka Karmcharies shall also be present in the public hearing to assist the SIA team.

(6)     All the proceedings shall be held in the Hindi language as for as possible in Tribal Areas in presence of credible translators to ensure that all the participants could understand and express their views.

(7)     Representatives from the Requiring Body and District Land Acquisition Officer and Administrator shall also attend the public hearing and address the questions and concerns raised by the affected parties.

(8)     The proceedings of the public hearing shall be video recorded and transcribed accordingly. This recording and transcription shall be submitted along with the final SIA report and SIMP to the Collector.

(9)     After the conclusion of the public hearings, the SIA team shall analyze the entire feedback received and information gathered in the public meetings and incorporate the same along with their analysis, in the revised SIA report accordingly.

(10)   Every objection raised in the public meeting shall be recorded and the SIA team shall ensure that the every objection shall be considered in the SIA report.

Rule - 12. Submission of SIA Report and SIMP.

The SIA Report and SIMP shall be prepared in the Hindi language and shall be made available to Gram Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation, as the case may be, and the offices of the Deputy Commissioner, the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Anchal Adhikari and shall be uploaded on the website of the Appropriate Government.

Rule - 13. Appraisal of Social Impact Assessment report by an Expert Group.

(1)     For this purpose Collector will be appropriate Government. Collector will constitute the expert group. The Expert Group constituted under sub-section (1) of Section 7 of the Act shall evaluate the SIA report and shall make its recommendation to that effect within a period of two months from the date of its constitution.

(2)     The recommendations of the Expert Group shall be made available in the Hindi language to the concerned Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation, at village level or ward level in the affected areas and in the Offices of the District Collector, the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Anchal Adhikari and shall be uploaded on the website of the Appropriate Government.

Rule - 14. Consideration of the Social Impact Assessment report, recommendations of the Expert Group etc.

(1)     The Appropriate Government shall examine the Social Impact Assessment report, the recommendations of the Expert Group, report of the Collector, if any, and decide such area for acquisition which would ensure minimum displacement of people, minimum disturbance to the infrastructure, ecology and minimum adverse impact on the individuals affected.

(2)     The decision of the Appropriate Government under sub-rule (1) shall be made available in the Hindi language to the concerned Gram Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation at village level or ward level in the affected areas and in the Offices of the Deputy Commissioner, Additional Collector, District Land Acquisition Officer, Special Land Acquisition Officer, Sub-Divisional Officer and the Anchal Adhikari and shall be uploaded on the website of the Appropriate Government.

Rule - 15. Web-based Work Flow and Management Information System (MIS) for Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

The State Government shall create a dedicated, as early as possible, user-friendly website that may serve as a public platform on which the entire work flow of each acquisition case will be hosted, beginning with the notification of the SIA and tracking each step of decision-making, implementation and audit.

Rule - 16. Additional Norms with regard to the Social Impact Assessment Process.

Parameters and a table of contents for the Social Impact Assessment Study and the Social Impact Management Plan are given in FORM-III and IV to these rules which should be used by the SIA team while preparing its report.

Rule - 17. Inventory of Waste, Barren and Unutilized Land.

To ensure acquisition of minimum amount of land and to facilitate the utilization of unutilized Government Lands, the State Government may prepare a district-level inventory report of waste, barren and unutilized Government Land, and land available in the Government land bank and that may be made available to the SIA team and Expert group. The inventory report shall be updated from time to time. In case of acquiring irrigated multi-crop land, as demonstrable last resort, the total acquired irrigated multi-crop land the district should not exceed two per cent of total irrigated multi-crop land in that concerned district or special exemption notification issued by State Government for that concerned district.

CHAPTER-IV : CONSENT

Rule - 18. Consent Requirements.

(1)     In case land is sought to be acquired for the purposes as specified under sub-section (2) of Section 2, the prior consent of the affected land owners as per provisions of sub-section (2) of Section 2 shall be obtained by the Deputy Commissioner concerned in PART-A of FORM-V to these rules along with the Social Impact Assessment study.

(2)     The concerned Deputy Commissioner may constitute a team of officers under his control to assist him in the process of obtaining the prior consent.

(3)     The Collector shall take necessary steps for updating the records relating to land rights, title in the land and other revenue records in the affected areas, so that the names of land owners, occupants of the land and individuals are identified for initiating the prior consent process and land acquisition.

Rule - 19. Consent of the Affected Land owners.

(1)     (i) In Public Private Partnership projects and projects by private companies, a list of all affected land owners from whom consent is required to be obtained shall be drawn up by Deputy Commissioner in consultation with the Social Impact Assessment team.

(ii) The list shall be made available in the affected area by displaying the list in conspicuous places of the affected areas for at least ten days before obtaining consent.

(2)     In case of any objection, the view of the objector shall also be taken, and reason for doing so shall be recorded in writing and conveyed to the concerned person within 10 days.

(3)     The District Collector shall in consultation with the representatives of Gram Panchayats, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporations, as the case may be, notify the date, time and venue at least two weeks in advance, for holding the affected land owners meetings at the village or ward level.

(4)     The proposed terms and conditions agreed to by the Requiring Body shall also be made available in Hindi language at least two weeks in advance of the meeting of the affected land owners to each and every affected land owner.

(5)     i. The Requiring Body or his/her representatives who are competent to take decision and negotiate terms of Rehabilitation and Resettlement and compensation shall be present at all such affected land owners meetings and respond to the queries raised by the affected land owners.

ii. The terms and conditions, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, compensation and other measures committed by the Requiring Body shall be explained to the members in the Hindi language and also local tribal language if substantial population is tribal and signatures of the members as well as the representative of Requiring Body shall be obtained on such terms and conditions.

(6)     i. At the conclusion of the meeting, each individual land owner shall be asked to give his consent on the declaration form whether he or she gives or withholds consent for the acquisition of land involved.

ii. A copy of this declaration with the attached terms and conditions shall be given to the land holder concerned. The declaration Form shall be countersigned by the Collector, Additional Collector, Anchal Adhikari on its receipts.

(7)     i. Arrangement shall be made for those who could not attend the land owners meeting. They may submit their signed declarations to the Collector or the Anchal Adhikari within fifteen days from the date of land owners meeting.

ii. The declaration Form shall be counter-signed by the Collector, Additional. Collector or Anchal Adhikari on its receipt and a copy of the declaration, with the attached terms and conditions shall be handed over to the affected landowner consent may be given or withheld by signing and+ declaration Form or by affixing thumb impression on it.

(8)     All proceedings of taking affected land owners' consent during land owners meetings shall be recorded in video and all the proceedings must be documented in writing.

(9)     Members of the Social Impact Assessment team shall be present to assist the affected land owners meeting.

(10)   No land holder can withdraw his consent once given in the above manner.

Rule - 20. Consent of the Gram Sabha in Scheduled Areas.

(1)     In case of acquisition of land in Scheduled Areas mentioned in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, the consent of Gram Sabha shall be obtained by the Collector in PART B of FORM V to these rules. He shall notify the date, timing and venue for holding special Gram Sabhas in the affected areas before two weeks in advance and conduct public awareness campaigns to motivate members of the Gram Sabhas to participate in the Gram Sabhas.

The consent for Land Acquisition shall be taken as per the Panchayat Raj Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996 and provision mentioned u/s. 41 of the Act. For linear projects, Gram Sabha may be conducted at the level of Gram Panchayat for the area involving more than one village, at Panchayat Samiti level for projects involving more than one Gram Panchayat, at District Board level for projects involving more than one block in a district.

(2)     The procedure to be followed to obtain the prior consent of the Gram Sabha shall be same as prescribed under Rule 19.

(3)     The quorum shall be at least one third of the total members of the Gram Sabha for considering the consent as valid:

Provided that one third of the total women members of attending members of the Gram Sabha shall also be present in the Gram Sabha meeting.

If in the first Gram Sabha meeting, the quorum is not available, then in subsequent meeting quorum is not necessary.

(4)     No Gram Sabha can withdraw her consent once given in the above manner.

Rule - 21. Roles and responsibilities of the Appropriate Government for consent processes.

(1)     The Collector shall notify and publish the date, time and venue of Gram Sabhas, Gram Panchayats and affected land owners meetings for obtaining the consent and organise public awareness campaigns to encourage participation of the affected land owners in the consent processes.

(2)     The Collector shall ensure that the following are provided at least two weeks in advance to every member from whom consent is sought, in the Hindi language, namely:

(a)      A copy of the draft SIA report (if readily available) in the Hindi language;

(b)      Initial package being offered for compensation and Rehabilitation and Resettlement;

(c)      A written statement signed by the Deputy Commissioner, certifying that there will be no consequences, if consent is denied for a project and stating that any attempt to coerce or intimidate in order to obtain consent shall be illegal; and

(d)      contact details of the officer or authority along with official telephone number to be contacted in case of any attempt to coerce for signing the declaration of consent process.

(3)     The Deputy Commissioner or any official appointed by the Deputy Commissioner shall attend the Gram Sabhas, Panchayats and land owners meetings.

Rule - 22. Roles and responsibilities of the Requiring Body for consent processes.

(1)     The Requiring Body shall appoint representatives competent to take decisions and negotiate terms and condition of compensation and Rehabilitation and Resettlement, who shall be present in the meetings of affected land owners for obtaining the consent and reply to the queries raised by the land owners.

(2)     The Requiring Body shall provide all the information on the project, prior to the taking of consent as well as any additional information, if required by the Appropriate Government.

CHAPTER-V : NOTIFICATION AND ACQUISITION

Rule - 23. Publication of Preliminary Notification.

(1)     After conclusion of the Social Impact Assessment study and consent of the affected persons or Gram Sabha, as the case may be, when it appears to the Appropriate Government that land is required or likely to be required in any area for any public purpose, a preliminary notification shall be issued in FORM VI. In case of Land Acquisition u/s. 40 or any other SIA study exempted project, the preliminary notification shall be issued in Form-VIA.

(2)     The preliminary notification shall be published in the manner provided in Section 11 of the Act.

(3)     A copy of the notification shall be affixed at some conspicuous places in the affected areas.

(4)     After issuing the preliminary notification, the Collector shall undertake and complete the exercise of updating land records within a period of two months as specified here as under

(a)      Delete the entries of dead persons;

(b)      Enter the names of the legal heirs of the deceased persons;

(c)      Take effect of the registered transactions of the rights in land such as sale, gift, partition, etc.;

(d)      Make all entries of the mortgage in the land records;

(e)      Delete the entries of mortgage in case the lending agency issues letter towards full payment of loans taken;

(f)       Make necessary entries about the individuals are communities' rights as given under The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Rights Act, 2006;

(g)      Make necessary entries in case of the Government land if settled with eligible person as per the provisions of State Government;

(h)     Make necessary entries in respect of assets in the land like trees, wells, etc.;

(i)       Make necessary entries of usufructuary mortgage as per the Tenancy Law;

(j)       Make necessary entries of crops grown or sown and the area of such crops; and

(k)      Any other entries or up-dation in respect of land acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

Rule - 24. Publication of Declaration for Acquisition.

(1)     Upon receipt of a report of the Collector as provided under sub-section (2) of Section 15, a declaration for acquisition of the land under sub-section (1) of Section 19 of the Act along with the summary of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme shall be made by the Appropriate Government in FORM VII. However, no such declaration shall be made unless the requiring body has deposited an amount in full towards the cost of acquisition of the land and cost of Rehabilitation and Resettlement with the Collector.

(2)     Such declaration shall be published in the affected areas by way of affixing a copy of the declaration at some conspicuous place in the Gram Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipal Corporation under which the affected area falls.

(3)     The date of publication shall be the date of publication of declaration under sub-section (1) of Section 19.

CHAPTER-VI : REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT SCHEME

Rule - 25. Preparation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme and Public Hearing.

(1)     On publication of the preliminary notification under sub-section (1) of Section 11 by the Collector, the Administrator for Rehabilitation and Resettlement shall, himself or through District Land Acquisition Officer, Additional Collector or Deputy Collector Land Reforms or Anchal Adhikari or by out-sourcing the work to any agency, conduct a survey and undertake a census of the affected families within a period of three months from the date of publication of such preliminary notification.

(2)     In the survey conducted and the census of the affected families so undertaken by the Administrator, he shall collect the data based on the SIA report as well as collect the data from the secondary sources such as Panchayat and Government records and verify that data by door to door visit of the affected families and by site visits in case of infrastructure in the affected area.

(3)     The draft Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme prepared by the Administrator shall in addition to the particulars mentioned in the sub-section (2) of Section 16, contain the following:

(i)       List of likely to be displaced families;

(ii)      List of infrastructure in the affected area;

(iii)     List of land holdings in the affected area;

(iv)    List of businessmen in the affected area;

(v)      List of landless people in the affected area;

(vi)    List of persons belonging to disadvantageous groups like persons belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, handicapped persons in the affected area;

(vii)   List of landless agricultural labourers in the affected area;

(viii)  List of unemployed youth in the affected area.

(4)     The Administrator shall prepare comprehensive and detailed draft Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme as for as possible.

(5)     The Administrator shall by way of public notice publish the summary of draft scheme in two local daily newspapers circulating in the affected area so that people come to know of the draft scheme.

(6)     The Administrator or an officer authorized by him shall conduct a public hearing in the affected areas on such a date, time and venue as deem fit but not earlier than fifteen days of the publication of the draft scheme. The provision of Rule 10 relating to the public hearing shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the public hearing in this case also.

Rule - 26. Power, duties and responsibilities of the Administrator.

Additional Collector of the district will be Administrator of the concern districts. Duties and responsibilities of the Administrator are as follows

(a)      To conduct a survey and undertake a census of the affected families in the manner and within time as provided under Rule 25;

(b)      To prepare a draft Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme;

(c)      To publish the draft scheme by the provided under Rule 25;

(d)      To make the draft scheme available to the concerned persons and authorities;

(e)      To organize and conduct public hearings on the draft scheme;

(f)       To provide an opportunity to the Requiring Body to make suggestions and comments on the draft scheme;

(g)      To submit the draft scheme to the Collector;

(h)     To publish the approved Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme in the affected area;

(i)       To help and assist the Collector in preparing the Rehabilitation and Resettlement award;

(j)       To monitor and supervise the implementation of the Rehabilitation award;

(k)      To assist in post-implementation audit of Rehabilitation and Resettlement, and

(l)       Any other work required to be done for Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

Rule - 27. Publication of the Approved Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme.

(1)     The Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Resettlement by way of public notice shall publish a summary of the approved Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme as finalized by him under Section 18 of the Act in the two local daily Hindi and English newspapers circulating in the affected area and website of Appropriate Government for making it known to the general public.

(2)     The copies of the approved scheme shall be made available in the offices of the District Collector, Additional Collector, Sub-divisional Officer, District Board, Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat and Administrator of the concerned area.

Rule - 28. Elements of Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

(1)     The affected families of the projects where preliminary notification under sub-section (1) of Section 11 is issued are only entitled to receive elements of rehabilitation and resettlement as per the Second and Third Schedules of the Act as applicable.

(2)     While offering twenty percent of the developed land when the land is acquired for urbanization purposes, then in that case, the land used for the components of infrastructure amenities shall not be taken into account for the calculation of twenty percent of developed land.

(3)     Where jobs are created through the project, the requiring body shall arrange for suitable training and skill development in the required field in cases where choice of employment is given and accepted by the project affected family under Second Schedule of the Act.

(4)     The Requiring Body shall arrange for training facilities to the project affected persons for development of entrepreneurship, technical and professional skills for self employment.

(5)     In case of a project involving land acquisition on behalf of a Requiring Body which involves involuntary displacement of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes families, a Development Plan in FORM VIII shall be prepared by the Collector in consultation with the affected families. The said plan shall be read out and discussed during the public hearing of Rehabilitation and Resettlement scheme and finalized.

CHAPTER-VII : AWARD AND COMPENSATION

Rule - 29. Land Acquisition Award.

(1)     The Collector after enquiry into and disposal of the objections, if any, raised by the interested persons in pursuance of the public notice published and given under sub-section (1) of Section 21, shall make land acquisition Award under Section 23 of the Act in the FORM IX and in accordance with the provisions contained under Rule 30 of these rules.

(2)     The Collector while calling the claims of the persons interested in the land to be acquired as per Section 21 shall give a notice to the Requiring Body. The Requiring Body may express its opinion with the Collector regarding the amount of the compensation including the market value of the land to be acquired.

(3)     It shall be the duty of the Collector to ensure that the Award is made within the period prescribed under Section 25 of the Act.

Rule - 30. Rehabilitation and Resettlement Award.

(1)     The Collector shall also make Rehabilitation and Resettlement Award for each affected families in accordance with the Second Schedule of the Act or as per the negotiated agreement reached with the affected families where consent is involved and hand over family wise Awards to each affected family in the FORM X.

(2)     The Collector shall also issue orders for provision of infrastructure facilities to be provided for every resettlement area, in the FORM XI.

(3)     The Commissioner, Rehabilitation and Resettlement shall closely monitor the implementation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme.

Rule - 31. Compensation.

(1)     The compensation shall be calculated as per the provisions laid down under Section 26 to Section 30 read with the First Schedule of the Act and paid to all parties whose land or other immovable property has been acquired.

(2)     Compensation shall be given to agriculture labourers, usufructuary mortgagor, small traders and artisans referred to in sub-clause (ii) of clause (c) of Section 3 of the Act at the following rates:

(i)       In case of an agricultural labourer, a lump sum amount equivalent to the current minimum wages of two hundred days shall be paid.

(ii)      The usufructuary mortgagor shall be paid a lump sum amount of Rs. twenty five thousand per acre of the land they cultivate as usufructuary mortgagee.

(iii)     In case of artisans or small traders who may be working in the affected area for three years prior to the acquisition of the land shall be paid current minimum wages of two hundred days.

(3)     The payment of compensation shall be made within a period of 15 days by organizing disbursement camps and through account in Scheduled Bank.

(4)     The date of determination of the market value shall be the date on which the preliminary notification was issued under Section 11.

(5)     Where the words "near vicinity area" have been used in Explanation I of Section 26, they shall be taken to mean the land holdings immediately contiguous to the land whose acquisition is taking place.

(6)     For an acquisition process that takes place in phases and where land is acquired sequentially, the base rate as calculated under Section 26 shall be taken to be effective rate for all affected families to be compensated across the entire area to be acquired for the said acquisition.

(7)     The amount involved in award of an area of 5000 hectare of land the Deputy Commissioner will be competent authority. The amount involved in award of more than of an area of 5000 hectare the State Government will be competent authority. The amount of compensation involved more than of an area of 5000 hectare prior approval of the State Government shall be mandatory before declaration of land acquisition award.

(8)     Where any excess amount is proved to have been paid to any person as a result of the correction made in an award under sub-section (1) of Section 33 and such person refused to refund the said excess amount paid to him, then such amount shall be recovered from him as an arrear of land revenue.

Rule - 32. Limits on extent of land under Section 2(3)(a) read with Section 46 of the Act.

The Provisions relating to rehabilitation and resettlement under these rules shall apply in the cases where any person other than a specified person purchases land exceeding 2000 hectares in Rural and Urban Area through private negotiations with the owners of the land.

CHAPTER-VIII : REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT COMMITTEE AND STATE MONITORING COMMITTEE

Rule - 33. Constitution of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee at project level.

(1)     The Deputy Commissioner shall constitute a Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee at project level to monitor and review the progress and implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme and to carry out post-implementation social audits in consultation with the Gram Sabha in the rural area and Nagar Parishad, Nagar Panchayat or Municipality, as the case may be, in the urban area.

(2)     The Committee shall have its first meeting when a draft Rehabilitation and Resettlement Scheme has been prepared by the Administrator. The Committee shall discuss the scheme and make suggestions and recommendations. Thereafter, the Committee shall meet and review and monitor the progress of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement once in a month till the process of rehabilitation and resettlement is completed.

(3)     For the purpose of carrying out the post-implementation social audits, the Committee shall meet once in three months.

(4)     The Committee may visit the affected area and discuss with the affected families if it so desires and also visit the resettlement area to monitor the resettlement process.

(5)     The members of the Committee shall get travelling and daily allowance at the rate admissible to the Class I Officers of the State Government and amount will be paid by Deputy Commissioner from the fund provided for these purposes by the project authority.

Rule - 34. Constitution of the State Monitoring Committee.

(1)     The State Government shall constitute a State Monitoring Committee for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Schemes under the Act.

(2)     The State Monitoring Committee shall have its first meeting for reviewing and monitoring the implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Schemes within a month from the notification of this rule. Thereafter, the meetings of the Committee shall be held once in six months to review and monitor the implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Schemes.

(3)     The members of the State Monitoring Committee shall get travelling and daily allowance at the rate admissible to the Secretary rank Officers of the State Government from the Budget of Revenue Department.

CHAPTER-IX : LAND ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION AND RESETTLEMENT AUTHORITY

Rule - 35. Establishment of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority.

(1)     The State Government shall establish, by notification in the Official Gazette, the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority at the headquarters of every revenue division in the State to exercise jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on it by or under the Act:

Provided that till such an Authority is established, the State Government with the consent of the Jharkhand High Court may declare Courts of the District Judges of the concern district to act as the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority.

(2)     The jurisdiction of every Authority shall be such as may be described in the notification establishing the Authority.

(3)     The Presiding Officer of such Authorities shall be appointed by the State Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court by issuing notification in the official gazette.

(4)     The salaries, allowances and conditions of service of the Registrar and other officers and staffs of the Authority shall be the same as applicable to the officers and staffs of similar grades working in the State Government.

(5)     The salary and allowances of the Presiding Officer of the Authority shall be same as applicable to a district Judge working in the State:

Provided that in case of a retired district Judge appointed as a Presiding Officer he shall be entitled to a salary equivalent to the remuneration last pay drawn by him at the time of his retirement minus the pension. In addition, he shall draw his pension and other benefits accrued to him under the concerned rules applicable to him.

(6)     The other service conditions of the Presiding Officer shall be the same as applicable to a district Judge working in the State of Jharkhand.

Rule - 36. Power of Authority and Recovery of Rehabilitation and Resettlement Benefits availed through False Claim etc.

(1)     The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority shall have the powers of a civil court in the matters of recovery of any rehabilitation and resettlement benefits availed through false claims or fraudulent means.

(2)     If any case of availing benefits of rehabilitation and resettlement benefits by any person comes to the notice, the Collector shall make a reference to the Authority which shall adjudicate the matter. After adjudication is made by the Authority, the benefits thus availed shall be liable to be recovered by the Collector as an arrear of land revenue, in case of the said benefits have been availed in terms of money, and by evicting the wrong doer from the land and houses if the said benefits have been availed in terms of land and houses.

(3)     The land and houses so vacated shall be used for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected persons by the same project or for the purpose of community, as the case may be.

CHAPTER-X : MISCELLANEOUS

Rule - 37. Reversion of Land.

(1)     Where any land acquired under the Act remains unutilized for a period specified for setting up any project or for five years from the date of taking over the possession, whichever is later, the same shall be returned to the Land Bank of the State Government by issuing a notice to the Requiring Body for whom the land was acquired and by giving an opportunity of being heard and by passing the necessary written order by the State Government in this behalf.

(2)     After passing the written order as above the State Government may direct the Collector to take the possession of the acquired land for the purpose of returning the same to the Land Bank of the State Government.

(3)     If the Requiring Body does not handover possession of the said land to the Collector, then Collector shall be competent to take the help of Executive Magistrate and police force to take the possession by giving prior notice to the Requiring Body.

Rule - 38. FORMS etc.

The forms mentioned in these Rules, templates for calculation of estimates are given in the Schedule appendix with these Rules.

Rule - 39. Removal of Difficulties.

(1)     If any difficulty arises as to the interpretation of any provisions of this Rule or in the implementation of such provisions, the Department of Revenue and Land Reforms shall have powers to issue directions for the purpose of removal of the difficulties. The directions so issued shall be binding on all concerned.

Rule - 40. Amendment to the Schedule.

The Department of Revenue and Land Reforms shall be competent to amend or rectify the schedule as and when necessary.

FORM-I

FORM-II

FORM-III

FORM-IV

FORM-V

FORM-VI

FORM-VI

FORM-VIII

FORM-IX

FORM-X

FORM-XI



[1] Published in Jharkhand Gazette (Ex.-ord.) dated 27.2.2015.