Capital Region Development Authority’s lifeline: Phone a farmer

Guntur: The CRDA has started calling up farmers to persuade them to help it complete the land agreement process by collecting annuity money for lands offered under LPS. It must be remembered that the CRDA started annuity distribution on March 9 to donor farmers targeting to complete the task in one month. However, on account of landowners and farmers, who offered lands to CRDA under LPS, showing little interest in collecting annuity, the authority couldn’t meet the target.

Despite completion of 103 days, the CRDA has distributed annuity for just 21,710 acres of pooled farmlands. Complete possession over the pooled lands is necessary to start land clearance works but with annuity distribution progressing at a slow pace, CRDA officials have started calling up donor landowners and farmers to collect annuity cheques.

CRDA’s offer of Rs 50, 000 annuity per acre for Jareebu lands and Rs 30, 000 per acre for dry lands is meagre, farmers feel.

The farmers of capital region hamlets made Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh per annum through cultivation of multi crops.

The CRDA has introduced competent authority offices in all villages to pay annuity to farmers. A CRDA official, not wanting to be named, said that annuity distribution was hastened last month but the present political situation has gotten farmers sceptical of initiation of the new capital works. So, they seem uninterested to receive annuity. He added that CRDA officials, besides calling up reluctant farmers, are also visiting their homes to persuade them.

Farmers of Penumaka and Undavalli, K. Sambi Reddy and others said that donor farmers are uncertain about their future and are waiting for a proper evidence of political willingness. They feel that new capital establishment would be possible if the present government continues working hard in the future but if things such as note-for-vote scams keep popping up, the capital construction could be jeopardised.

Meanwhile, CRDA vice-chairman and minister for municipal administration P. Narayana said that crops are in yielding stage in the surrendered farmlands which is restraining donor farmers from receiving annuity and added that they are hopeful of paying annuity for 26,000 acres by end of June.