The Greater Noida authority on Tuesday said it will process payment of 64.7% additional compensation to farmers whose land was acquired between 2002 and 2013 for planned development, following an order issued by the Uttar Pradesh government.
However, farmers whose land was acquired during the same period but who were not parties to the litigation did not receive the benefit. Officials said around 4,500 farmers could be eligible to receive a total of about ₹ 500 crore in additional compensation, though the authority is still examining records to determine individual eligibility. The authority acquired nearly 3,000 hectares during the period for various development projects. The judgment covered 471 writ petitions, and petitioners subsequently received the additional compensation, officials said.
The land was subsequently used for group housing projects in Greater Noida West, colleges and institutes in Knowledge Park and projects linked to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, officials said.
The affected farmers have since held several protests outside the Greater Noida authority office, demanding parity. “After the Uttar Pradesh government’s letter, farmers who have been demanding additional compensation for a long time are expected to receive the additional amount soon. “In meetings with officials in the past, the authority had assured us that farmers’ issues would be addressed.
Officials said the authority had earlier written to the state government seeking approval to extend the additional compensation to the remaining farmers. The authority is examining the records to determine eligibility and decide the further course of action in accordance with the applicable rules,” Greater Noida authority CEO Ravi Kumar NG said. As the government has now issued the order, this is a step towards resolving our long-pending demand,” said Chauhan, who had also protested at the authority office last month.
On Tuesday, the state government issued an order directing the authority to proceed in accordance with applicable rules.
