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Govt makes crorepatis of Punjab villagers
Published on Sat, May 17, 2008 at 10:07, Updated at Sat, May 17, 2008 in Nation » India section
Tags: Mohali International Airport, Jheorheri , Mohali
FROM RAGS TO RICHES: Overnight, Jheorheri has become a village of millionaires.
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Mohali (Punjab): Till some time ago, Mahinder Singh, a farmer in Jheorheri village near Mohali, didn't have enough money to buy a tractor to till his land.
Today he is a millionaire, test-driving a luxury sedan he plans to buy. Paying in cash for it, of course. Mahinder, like many others, can afford to live the life of his dreams because he has got Rs 2 crore in compensation for his land acquired by the government for the Mohali International Airport.
He has but one worry. “We've got a good price for our land but resettling will now become a problem,” he says.
Overnight, Jheorheri has become a village of millionaires and is suddenly blipping on the business radar. Car dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, bankers are all coming up with exclusive kiosks to lure the new crorepatis.
The villagers are enjoying all the attention. “Everyday is like a big fair, big investors like Toyota come almost daily,” says a villager Sukhbir Singh.
The Mohali international airport is a high-stake project for the Punjab government, as is evident by the liberal compensation package announced for the affected 222 families from whom 306 acres are being acquired.
“Government has decided to pay Rs 1.5 crore for every piece of land acquired,” announced Mohali SDM, Raghubir Kaur.
With the noveau riche villagers planning to flaunt their wealth, the airport will not be the only thing that will make the Mohali suburbs look new.
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