Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Hands Over Government Orders; Eligible Beneficiaries to Receive Land Rights Within Three Months
Palghar, October 10, 2026: A five-decade-long struggle for land ownership rights has finally come to an end for families displaced by the Dhamni Dam under the Surya Project and resettled in Hanumannagar and Chandranagar villages of Palghar district, Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handed over copies of the government decision granting land ownership rights to the villagers during a programme organised under the state government's Seva Sankalp Abhiyan 2026. The rehabilitation process began in 1968, and the families were resettled by 1978. However, incomplete land surveys and revenue documentation prevented them from obtaining legal ownership of their land. Describing the decision as historic, the Chief Minister said that the villagers had struggled for three generations and that the day marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
The Chief Minister directed the administration to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries in both villages receive their land ownership orders within the next three months. He emphasised that no eligible family should be deprived of its rights because of errors in official documents. He also instructed officials to reassess basic infrastructure and facilities in the villages and announced that efforts would be made to establish a separate gram panchayat in Chandranagar. Fadnavis assured the villagers that he would personally review the progress after three months. Highlighting the development potential of Palghar through port expansion, a proposed airport, the bullet train project and various road infrastructure initiatives, he stressed that development must benefit local residents, tribal communities, farmers, agricultural labourers and women. Maharashtra Forest Minister and Palghar Guardian Minister Ganesh Naik, Tribal Area Review Committee Chairman Vivek Pandit, MP Dr. Hemant Savara, District Collector Dr. Indu Rani Jakhar, other public representatives, senior officials and a large number of villagers attended the programme.
