Ranchi, Jan. 19: Promote small and medium scale units to absorb unskilled and illiterate local populace that will be affected due to displacement.

That was the message that the business community sent out to the state government for formulating the long-awaited rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) policy.

Industries department secretary K.K. Khandalwal today discussed the proposed R&R policy with representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FJCCI) and Small Scale Industries Association (SSIA).

The business community suggested that the industrial houses be allowed to acquire additional land, which could be leased out or sold for establishing medium and small-scale units.

The big units would not be in a position to provide employment to a large number of the displaced as these units would be mechanised.

“But if small and medium units are allowed to be established near such big units, it would help the local people in gaining employment. Unlike the big ones, which require trained and skilled labour, these units can give jobs to the unskilled and the illiterate,” one of the entrepreneurs said.

The business community also advised the government to ensure that rehabilitation of the displaced is carried out first before a company acquires land.

The government should also take the responsibility, they added, to impart vocational training to one member of the family, from a recognised technical institute for two years.

“The price of the land should be bought from the villagers at the prevailing market price. While 50 per cent of the amount should be given out initially, the reat should be given in the form of company shares,” an industrialist further said.