The Delhi cabinet has decided to grant a special rehabilitation package, a one-time gesture to farmers of Delhi whose lands are being acquired for various government projects. The current package is more liberal in tune with the times and respect for farmers whose lands are under the process of acquisition. This formula has been arrived at in consultation with the farmers keeping in view their maximum satisfaction level. The basis is the decision of an order of Delhi government in 1997. This would enable farmers whose lands were acquired but award was not announced till December 2007, to be eligible for higher compensation on the basis of rate approved by the cabinet. The rate was decided in a meeting on February 2008 that was Rs 53 lakh per acre and interest at 12.5 per cent per year after suitable adjustments for the years 2005 and 2006. The package would result in substantial increase in the compensation to be paid to the farmers whose lands were notified for acquisition under Section 4 of the Delhi Land Act in 2005 and 2006. The package would almost double the compensation payable to farmers whose lands were notified in 2005 and increase the acquisition rate to over Rs 41 lakh plus interest and solatium for those whose lands have been notified in 2006.