Telangana Land Acquisition Policy shortchanges youth

Hyderabad: Not only farmers and land owners, even youths from families displaced on account of irrigation projects, will lose compensation as per the Telangana state Land Acquisition Policy (GO 123).

The previous Congress government had agreed to pay up to Rs 2.30 lakh per head as one-time settlement for youths above 18 years of age in displaced families on account of the Mid Manair and Yellampally projects in 2010. But the TS government scrapped this rule anticipating that it will invite similar demands for forthcoming projects and increase expenditure.

Around 6,000 youths beneficiaries were identified earlier for payment of compensation. As per the Resettlement and Rehabilitation notification issued by the Congress government in 2010 for the Mid Manair and Yellampally projects, those who hadn’t attained the age of 18 years when notification was issued in August 10 and would  attain 18 years of age as on January 1, 2015, were entitled for compensation of Rs 2 lakh.

The TS government announced last year that it would offer a higher compensation. SC/ST youth would be paid Rs 2.30 lakh and those from OCs, OBCs Rs 2 lakh.

The government conducted a survey and identified 4,231 beneficiaries under Mid Manair and 1,447 under the Yellampally project. It calculated the compensation at Rs 113.56 crore. It later decided to pay uniform compensation of Rs 2.30 lakh to all.

The government, however, reversed its decision and stopped payment of compensation anticipating that it would invite similar demands elsewhere.

The state government requires 3.94 lakh acres for Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Dindi irrigation projects among others, and is wary of the cost of paying special compensation to the affected youths in these areas, sources said.

The government is struggling to mobilise Rs 1.25 lakh crore for irrigation projects.