Arunachal: Villagers who gave land to Army become crorepatis overnight
Several residents of two villages in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh became crorepatis overnight after they received compensation for land they had donated to the Indian Army around five decades ago, right after the Sino-Indian war. The compensatory cheques were handed out in two separate functions by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Here are the details.
A total of Rs. 37.73cr was handed out to villagers
On Thursday, at two separate ceremonies, CM Khandu handed out cheques worth a total of Rs. 37.73cr, making several residents of the Tukpen village and the Singchung village crorepatis overnight. Rs. 24.56cr was handed out to five villagers from Singchung, while the remaining Rs. 13.17cr went to seven villagers from Tukpen. "The compensation has been possible because of love of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji for Arunachal," tweeted CM Khandu afterwards.
In February, several others had received compensation for land
This isn't the first instance of Arunachal villagers becoming crorepatis overnight. In February this year, Rs. 40.80cr was handed out to 31 families from the Bomja village in the Tawang district for donating 200.056 acres of land to the Indian Army in the aftermath of the Sino-Indian war of 1962. Up until now, compensation had not been paid, but it seems like dues are finally being cleared.
Compensation amounts were released only in 2017
Following the Sino-Indian war, the Indian Army had launched a land acquisition program in Arunachal Pradesh for getting requisite land for building roads, bridges etc., and for constructing strategic installations like bases along the border. Decades passed since then, and only in 2017 did the Indian government release compensatory sums amounting to a total of Rs. 212cr.
