The Ministry of Railway, Govt of India, hereby withdraws from acquisition, the lands specified in the Schedule below

## Policy Analysis Report: Withdrawal of Land Acquisition for Railway Construction in Goa **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification issued by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, regarding the withdrawal of land acquisition for railway construction in Goa. This document details the withdrawal of land acquisition for specific plots identified in previous notifications due to discrepancies between the originally notified land area and the area demarcated on the ground during a joint measurement survey. The core purpose of this notification is to rectify inconsistencies in the acquired land area and allow the competent authority to finalize the award based on the accurately demarcated area. The key finding is that the amendment focuses on addressing issues related to the land acquisition process for a specific railway project, ensuring compensation is based on the accurately measured land area. **2. Introduction:** The purpose of this report is to provide an informative analysis of a notification concerning the withdrawal of land acquisition for railway construction in Goa, based solely on the provided official government text. This analysis will cover the notification's background, rationale, key changes, target audience, inferred implementation aspects, and expected outcomes. **3. Policy Overview:** This document represents an *amendment* to previous notifications regarding land acquisition for railway purposes. * **Original Policy (Referenced):** S.O. 1042 E dated 04th March 2020 issued under Section 20A 1 of Railway Act, 1989, and S.O. 2162E dated 31052021 under Section 20E of the Act. * **Core Objective(s):** While the original notifications' core objective was land acquisition for railway construction, the core objective of *this amendment* is to withdraw land acquisition for parcels where discrepancies were found and finalize compensation based on accurate measurements. **4. Background and Rationale:** This notification serves as an amendment to prior land acquisition notifications. The rationale for this specific amendment is that the area indicated in the original schedule of the notifications was larger than the area demarcated on the site during a Joint Measurement Survey with the Directorate of Settlement Land Records (DSLR), Government of Goa. This discrepancy necessitates the withdrawal of acquisition for the excess land to ensure accurate compensation. The competent authority will finalize the land-owners compensation based on land area as found on-site. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This document details *specific changes* to the original land acquisition plan. * **Specific Part of Original Policy Changed:** The schedule of lands to be acquired, as defined in S.O. 1042 E and S.O. 2162E, is being modified. * **New Rule/Provision:** Land acquisition is being *withdrawn* for specific plots or portions of plots identified in the attached schedule, due to discrepancies in area measurements. The schedule lists the plot numbers, villages, and areas (in hectares) to be withdrawn from the acquisition. * **Difference/Effect of Change:** The original notifications mandated acquisition of a certain area. This amendment reduces the area to be acquired for specific plots, aligning it with the actual demarcated area on the ground. This directly impacts the amount of compensation landowners will receive, as it will be based on the revised, smaller area. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary target audience and stakeholders are: * **Landowners:** Specifically, those landowners whose properties are listed in the schedule attached to the notification, particularly those affected by the changed acquisition due to on-site land measurements. * **Ministry of Railways:** Responsible for the railway construction project. * **Directorate of Settlement Land Records (DSLR), Govt. of Goa:** Involved in the joint measurement survey. * **Competent Authority:** Responsible for finalizing the compensation award. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** Ministry of Railways (Western Railway Construction Organisation), Directorate of Settlement Land Records (DSLR), and the Competent Authority responsible for finalizing awards. * **Timelines/Procedures:** While specific timelines are not detailed *in this notification*, it implies a process is underway to finalize compensation awards based on the corrected land measurements. The notification itself serves as a legal instrument to formally withdraw acquisition rights for the excess land. * **Implementation Aspects Related to the Changes:** The key implementation aspect is the recalculation of land area and subsequent reassessment of compensation for the listed properties. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of these specific changes are: * **Fairer Compensation:** Ensuring landowners are compensated accurately based on the land area that is actually being used for the railway project. * **Legal Compliance:** Addressing discrepancies in land measurements to avoid potential legal challenges related to over-acquisition. * **Project Efficiency:** Facilitating the finalization of compensation awards and moving forward with the railway construction project by resolving land acquisition issues. **9. Conclusion:** This notification from the Ministry of Railways represents a critical amendment to existing land acquisition plans for a railway project in Goa. By withdrawing acquisition for areas found to be inaccurately measured, the amendment seeks to ensure fair compensation for landowners and maintain legal compliance. This clarification is essential for the affected landowners, the involved government agencies, and the overall progress of the railway construction project. While the text is limited in scope, it highlights the importance of accurate land surveying and its direct impact on land acquisition processes and compensation.

Key Entities Referenced