Suburban rail: Term insurance certificates issued to 263 project-affected people in Banaswadi

Bengaluru: Rail Infrastructure Development Company Karnataka Limited (K-RIDE), which is constructing the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP), distributed social security term insurance certificates and extended social security benefits to project-affected persons (PAPs), slum dwellers, squatters and the workforce along Corridor 2 on Wednesday. 

K-RIDE Managing Director Lakshman Singh distributed the certificates at an orientation programme on skill development and livelihood restoration at Yeshwantpur. 

He stated that the BSRP not only aims to improve urban mobility, reduce congestion and emissions, and enhance regional connectivity but also ensures fair compensation, social security coverage and livelihood restoration for project-affected communities. 

During project preparation, a detailed census and socio-economic survey conducted under the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) had identified 263 project-affected persons, including 100 notified slum dwellers and 163 squatters, along a 1.2-km stretch of Corridor-2 at Lingarajapuram and Banaswadi. 

With the support of the Karnataka Slum Development Board, eligible people were provided financial assistance following consultations and disclosure of entitlements and voluntarily self-relocated after receiving due support, he added. 

At the programme, resource persons from Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI) oriented the participants on skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities in which they can enrol and how K-RIDE can support in it further as part of the RAP implementation. 

Bhaskar Chakravarthy, convenor, State Level Bankers Committee, explained the social security benefits and insurance schemes of the state and central governments linked to the PAPs. 

As part of post-resettlement measures under the RAP, affected households and the project workforce have been linked to Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, providing insurance coverage of up to Rs 6 lakh per person.