Rahul wants relief,rehab for people affected by Posco

“The Congress is with the people to provide them justice. Development is essential,but the project-affected people should be provided proper compensation and rehabilitation,” Rahul said during an interaction with tribals at a youth conference in Jharsuguda. “If Posco provides proper rehabilitation to the affected people then we will be with Posco. If it fails to do so,we will be with the agitating people fighting for justice,” he said.

Though the state Congress had been non-committal about its stand on the Posco project,since last month the state leadership has joined the anti-Posco bandwagon. The PCC leadership even travelled to Dhinkia grampanchayat,the epicentre of the anti-Posco protest,to lend support to the villagers opposing the project.

Rahul said while Communists opposed development and liberalisation,the BJP only thought of development of rich. “But it was the Congress which always thought for the development of common people and their interest. The fruits of development should reach the common man without any bias,” he said.

Meanwhile,the state government has sought Posco’s views on the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding,which lapsed on June 22 last year. Government sources said the draft MoU and has been sent to Posco India for its comments.

The new draft has the mandatory employment clause of the state government. However,it has omitted the contentious clause on swapping of iron ore. The new MoU is likely to be ready by the end of this month. The original MoU signed between Posco and the Orissa government on June 22,2005 allowed swapping of 30 per cent of iron ore reserve allotted to the company.