Patna: Members across party lines raised concerns over the proposed satellite townships in the Bihar Legislative Council on Wednesday, urging the state govt to release a detailed blueprint on land acquisition norms and compensation rates.Taking up the issue during the monsoon session, JD(U) MLC Rabindra Prasad Singh said landowners, particularly farmers, were facing uncertainty due to the absence of an official master plan. He urged the govt to review its compensation policy and increase the current ceiling of 55%.JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar said the lack of clarity from the govt had left farmers confused about compensation and benefits. He demanded that a detailed blueprint be released at the earliest to remove uncertainty surrounding the project.RJD MLC Sunil Singh said land earmarked for the satellite townships had effectively become unsellable, causing hardship for owners. He argued that compensation should reflect variations in land value, noting that roadside plots command significantly higher prices than interior parcels. Although land sales are permitted in emergencies such as medical treatment or weddings, he said the process remains cumbersome.Replying on behalf of the govt, urban development and housing minister Nitish Mishra said planning for the 12 proposed satellite towns was still at an early stage and a detailed master plan was being prepared. He assured the House that the final plan would be made public and that landowners would be consulted before implementation.Mishra said land acquisition under the Bihar Raiyati Land Purchase Policy was being facilitated through the Bihar State Housing Board. The compensation process takes about a month and more than 750 voluntary applications have already been received, he said.To streamline procedures, the minister announced that nodal officers would be appointed within a week in districts without Housing Board offices. He also assured members that all developments related to land pooling would be communicated directly to farmers to ensure transparency.
