Orissa is all set to renew its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with steel major Posco with a one-year retrospective effect by June 30th. The MoU for the proposed 12 million ton steel plant had expired on June 22, 2010 after a period of five years. State steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty said all formalities required for renewal of the MoU will be over shortly and the government would revalidate...

-The Times of India   Unperturbed over the stiff protest against the proposed Posco steel plant, the Orissa government on Tuesday said it would start project-related work in areas already acquired in Jagatsinghpur district. The government, however, suspended further land acquisition for the time being. "We have already acquired 1,800 acres of land for the proposed plant near Paradip and are beginning project-related work in the area already acquired," said chief...

Thirty sugarcane cultivators of Ujoragaon, a village located 15km from the district headquarters, today asked Dispur to resume construction of the 30-bed hospital for which they had donated four hectares 21 years ago or return their land. The donors plan to approach Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Congress legislator from Nagaon Sadar constituency, Durlav Chamua, soon.In 1990, the AGP-led state government had proposed to construct a 30-bed hospital...

-The Business Standard   The government’s cup of woes with regard to the much-hyped Posco project seem to be brimming over. Even as the anti-Posco activists have forced the Jagatsinghpur district administration to stop land acquisition for the project at Gobindpur and Dhinkia, the project supporters, who had assisted the officials in an almost trouble-free land acquisition in Gadakujang and Nuagaon panchayats, are now peeved with the administration for non-fulfilment of...

The Singur land take-back bill has spurred a group of farmers in Burdwan to demand return of their plots that were acquired for a proposed health city. The 84 farmers had turned down cheques in exchange for 23 acres — all multi-crop land — that had been acquired in 2005 for the project in Goda. Fifty-seven acres from 350 landowners were marked for acquisition at the rate of Rs 12 lakh an...