Polavaram Project: Non-Tribal Displaced Families Offered One-Time Settlement Option

The non-tribal families displaced by the Polavaram irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh have been given the option of a One-Time Settlement (OTS) for compensation. The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Chintoor has set up a special cell to process applications, with a deadline of Tuesday for eligible families to choose this option.

Chintoor ITDA Project Officer Subham Nokwal announced in a release that the OTS, known as option 3, provides a lump-sum payment covering the cost of the land allocated for housing and the construction cost of the house. This is one of three resettlement options available to affected families. Under option 1, the government constructs houses in designated resettlement colonies; option 2 provides payment for the land cost only.

The Polavaram project, a major irrigation and hydroelectric project on the Godavari River, has led to the displacement of thousands of families, including both tribal and non-tribal communities. The government has been implementing resettlement and rehabilitation measures under the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy. The OTS option aims to expedite compensation for non-tribal families who prefer financial settlement rather than waiting for government-built housing.

Eligible families are advised to visit the special cell at ITDA Chintoor in Polavaram district with necessary documents to avail the OTS option before the deadline.