Approximately 28,000 plus cases related to enhanced compensation for land acquisition are pending before arbitrators. (Source: Express Archives)The central government appointed 57 new arbitrators in the state to ensure speedy disposal of long-pending land acquisition cases related to various national highway projects. The move will help clear more than 28,000 pending claims of project-affected persons who have been waiting for compensation for many years, State Revenue Minister Bawankule said today.Following instructions from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Minister took special initiative keeping in mind the interests of farmers, officials said.Meetings were held with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, along with the Central and State Governments. After studying the cases from various parts of the state and through consistent follow-up, the appointment of these arbitrators has now been finalized, officials said.Several projects of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are underway in the state. However, approximately 28,000 plus cases related to enhanced compensation for land acquisition are pending before arbitrators. Some of these cases have been pending for more than three years.Considering the rights of project-affected persons, the method of compensation, and the need for transparency, Bawankule had demanded the appointment of dedicated arbitrators for the speedy hearing of these cases.Accordingly, 57 experienced officers from the cadre of Additional Commissioners and Additional District Collectors in Maharashtra have now been appointed as arbitrators, officials said.These newly appointed 57 arbitrators will function across districts in the Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Nagpur divisions.Story continues below this adIn a letter issued by the Revenue Department, District Collectors have been directed to immediately hold meetings with NHAI project directors and land acquisition officers to allocate the pending cases to these arbitrators.To maintain consistency in proceedings, all claims related to the same award will be assigned to the same officer.The responsibility of conducting monthly reviews of the work of these arbitrators has been assigned to the Divisional Commissioners.Additionally, NHAI will provide the necessary manpower and office expenses through its funds so that there is no hindrance in the functioning of these arbitrators.Story continues below this ad“Due to pending land acquisition claims in national highway projects, farmers’ compensation often gets delayed and projects also face setbacks. Keeping this serious issue in mind, we had followed up with the Central Government. Now, with the appointment of 57 new arbitrators, the 28,000+ pending cases will be disposed of within a specific timeframe. This decision will help clear many old cases, ensure timely compensation to project-affected persons, and accelerate the development of the state,” Bawankule said.