Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to address the longstanding demand of those displaced by the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Sambalpur district. Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari announced on Sunday that the government will allocate 10 decimals of land to each displaced family.
Minister Pujari stated that by December 31 of this year, the displaced will receive land leases for 10 decimals per family as part of the Hirakud Embankment Scheme.
Notably, families who relinquished their land and livelihoods due to the Hirakud embankment project have sought rehabilitation for over seventy years. So far, only 4,400 of the affected families have received loans while the dam on the river led to the submergence of 46 villages, with the displaced inhabitants resettled in 32 new villages.
Previously, in response to the initiatives of West Odisha MLAs, Speaker Surya Narayan Patra recommended that the Revenue Minister convene a meeting with officials to address the concerns of those residing near the Hirakud Dam.
