Andhra Pradesh farmers to get 200 sq. yards more

Hyderabad: Farmers will get 200 square yard of land in the “commercial zone” of the new Andhra Pradesh capital in addition to the 1,000 square yard residential plots they are being offered for every acre they surrender.

Sources said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is under tremendous pressure from party MLAs and ministers to increase the offer from 1,000 square yard to 1,200 square yard per acre, and that the enhanced 200 square yard plot should be given in the “commercial zone” of the city.

The ministers reportedly told Mr Naidu that the offer of 1,000 square yard plot per acre had failed to woo several sections of farmers and the land package needed to be made more attractive by including parcels of commercial plots. Mr Naidu is likely to announce the decision during his interaction with farmers in the capital city region after his return from Singapore.

Sources told this correspondent that though Mr Naidu was given feedback by the MLAs and ministers that a large number of farmers were seeking Rs 2 lakh cash as a one-time settlement of their debts in addition to all the sops announced by the government, no decision has been taken in this regard as the cost would escalate manifold since there are 21,000 farmers or land owners in the 17 villages of the proposed capital city region. 

“It will cost over Rs 400 crore if Rs 2 lakh is given to each farmer,” sources said.

Mr Naidu was also advised to impose a ban on meetings in the capital region keeping in view the opposition parties politicising the capital issue and instigating the farmers against the land pooling system. He, however, did not react to it immediately, sources said.

The CM, meanwhile, has asked partymen to explain to farmers regarding the sops being offered by the government like, farmers having lands at different places will have the choice of getting developed plot at one place.