Publication of Notification in the Extra Ordinary Gazette of India under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (ARUL) Act, 1962 for Jagdishpur Haldia and Bokaro Dhamra Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) and Spur Pipeline of GAIL (India) Limited.

## Policy Analysis Report: Acquisition of Right of User for Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline (JHBDPL) Spur Pipeline Project - West Bengal **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, regarding the acquisition of Right of User (RoU) in land for the Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline (JHBDPL) Spur Pipeline project in West Bengal. The notification declares the acquisition of RoU for laying the pipeline and directs that the RoU shall vest in GAIL India Limited. This report details the policy's provisions, affected areas, implementation aspects, and likely outcomes based on the provided text. **2. Introduction:** This report provides an informative analysis of the notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, concerning the acquisition of Right of User (RoU) in land for the JHBDPL Spur Pipeline project in West Bengal. The analysis is based solely on the information provided in the text of the notification. **3. Policy Overview:** * This notification appears to be an *amendment* or a *continuation* of a policy enacted under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962. The text references previous notifications S.O No: 2423E Dated 08.07.2019 and S.O No: 4374E Dated 21.10.2021. * **Core Objective:** The core objective, as inferred from the provided text, is to acquire the Right of User in land for laying the JHBDPL Spur Pipeline for transportation of natural gas in West Bengal. **4. Background and Rationale:** * The text indicates that Government of India declared its intention to acquire the Right of User in the land specified in the Schedule appended to that notification for the purpose of laying pipeline for transportation of natural gas through Jagdishpur Haldia Bokaro Dhamra Pipeline JHBDPL Spur Pipeline in the State of West Bengal by GAIL India Limited. * The specific reason for *this* notification appears to be the completion of necessary procedures (submission of a report by the Competent Authority and the Government of India's satisfaction that the land is required for the pipeline), leading to the formal declaration of RoU acquisition and the vesting of that right. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification primarily involves the following key changes to previously declared intentions. * **Acquisition of Right of User:** The Government of India formally declares that the Right of User in the land specified in the schedule is acquired for laying the pipeline. * **Vesting of Right of User:** The notification directs that the Right of User in the land will vest in GAIL India Limited, instead of the Government of India, free from all encumbrances. * **Schedule of Affected Land:** The notification includes a schedule detailing the specific land plots affected by the acquisition. This includes location information such as: * State: West Bengal * District: Hooghly * Block: Mogra * Mouza: Chinsurah Naksa * Jl.No.: 16 * Map Plot Numbers: A list of plot numbers are provided (e.g., LR 1037, 1085, 902, 903, etc.) * Land Area: in Hectare, Are, and Sq. Mt. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary target audience and stakeholders directly affected by this notification include: * **Landowners:** Individuals or entities owning land in the specified areas within Hooghly district, West Bengal, as listed in the schedule. Their land is now subject to the Right of User for the pipeline. * **GAIL India Limited:** The company responsible for laying the pipeline and in whom the Right of User will vest. * **Residents of West Bengal:** Indirectly affected by the infrastructure development and potentially benefiting from access to natural gas. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency:** Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, is the responsible agency. GAIL India Limited is responsible for the physical implementation of the pipeline laying. * **Procedures:** The notification implies a process that includes: initial notification of intent to acquire RoU, public availability of the notification, report submission by a Competent Authority, government review and satisfaction, declaration of acquisition, and vesting of RoU. * **Timelines:** The text indicates that the Right of User vests in GAIL India Limited on the date of publication of the notification (May 13, 2022). **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of this notification are: * **Facilitation of Pipeline Construction:** Acquisition of RoU is essential for GAIL India Limited to proceed with laying the JHBDPL Spur Pipeline project without legal impediments. * **Infrastructure Development:** The laying of the pipeline will improve the infrastructure for transportation of natural gas. * **Economic Development:** Improved natural gas infrastructure can potentially boost economic activity in the region. * **Compensation to Landowners:** While not explicitly stated in the text, the underlying Act likely provides for compensation to landowners whose land is subject to the Right of User. **9. Conclusion:** The notification analyzed in this report facilitates the laying of the JHBDPL Spur Pipeline project in West Bengal by formally acquiring the Right of User in the land and vesting that right in GAIL India Limited. The specific impact will be on landowners in the Hooghly district, whose land is listed in the schedule. The successful implementation of this notification is a key step towards completing the pipeline project and achieving its intended benefits for infrastructure and economic development.

Key Entities Referenced