Mihan’s approved estimate touches Rs3,994cr, around Rs2,400cr spent

Nagpur: The latest cost estimate approved for developing the ambitious Mihan project stands at Rs3,994 crore, out of which the govt spent around Rs2,400 crore so far. The amount was approved by the state cabinet recently, said revenue minister and Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, adding that the earlier cost stood at around Rs1,000 crore.The approved cost is the upper limit of expenditure for any project. For Mihan, the major cost component includes land acquisition, rehabilitation, and payment of compensation to the oustees. The govt spent Rs781 crore towards oustees from Khapri, Dahegaon Telhara, and Kalkuhi villages. This year, a demand of Rs400 crore was raised, of which Rs240 crore was released; the rest is expected before the fiscal ends, said a note shared by the district information office.Bawankule, who chaired a meeting on Friday to assess the problems faced by the project-affected persons (PAPs) at Mihan, said the oustees' long-pending issues are expected to be resolved soon. This includes allotting developed plots to the tune of 12.5% of the farm holdings taken over for the Mihan project.The oustees raised a dispute over payment of development charges, which was brought down to Rs50 per square foot from Rs140 earlier. The oustees can now easily take up the plots, which can fetch a rate of as much as Rs4,000 a square foot in the market, by paying a small development fee. The land parcel is located at Chichdbhuvan, close to the project, said sources.Bawankule said some of the oustees also moved the court seeking enhanced compensation. As they won the case, an additional amount will have to be paid to them. The govt is expected to release Rs160 crore for such payment within this fiscal. Another Rs597 crore is expected in the next financial year, said the minister.The minister said issues related to individuals staying on the govt land in the villages will also be addressed, as they would get assistance of Rs2.5 lakh for building their homes.Bawankule said the removal of structures and encroachments in the Shivangaon village airport expansion is expected to be completed soon.# BOXReport on farm loan waiver expected around budgetThe expert committee headed by Praveen Pardesi, Chief Economic Advisor to the chief minister, is expected to put up its report on the farm loan waiver scheme around the state budget. Based on the findings, the govt is expected to take a decision soon after, because the scheme has to be introduced before June 2026, said revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The committee was formed following an agitation by farmers led by former Achalpur MLA Bachu Kadu on the highways at Nagpur.