West Bengal Govt failed to protect tribal interests in mining land acquisition, says CAG report
A CAG report indicates that the West Bengal government failed to protect tribal interests during land acquisition for mining projects between 2017 and 2022. The audit found that tribal landowners were significantly undercompensated compared to market rates.
Why it matters
This report highlights systemic failures in governance and the protection of marginalized communities' rights in the context of industrial development.
The CAG has flagged the West Bengal government's "failure" in safeguarding tribals' interests while land was being acquired for mining projects, leading to inadequate compensation payment in five fiscals between 2017-18 and 2021-22 when the Trinamool Congress was in power.
In an audit of land management in tribal areas, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said that "inaction and non-involvement of district level functionaries" such as revenue officers, district collectors and others led to the rehabilitative shortfall.
The audit covered 66 land acquisition cases between 2017-18 and 2021-22 involving Eastern Coalfields Limited's (ECL's) Salanpur, Sripur, Kunustoria and Parbelia areas and Bharat Coking Coal Limited's (BCCL's) Barakar area.
The CAG report stated that against the assessed market value of ₹17.79 crore, ECL and BCCL paid only ₹2.55 crore to tribal people for their land through negotiated purchases, resulting in a short payment of ₹15.25 crore, or 85.68% of the market value.
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