District Collector V. Vinay Chand said that no land was being acquired forcefully in Visakhapatnam district. He said that without verification and proper survey no land was being touched.
According to him, the government has sanctioned ₹1,300 crore for land pooling and compensation was being paid immediately to farmers.
He was speaking to newsmen here on Friday.
The Collector said that apart from government and assigned lands, no other land was being considered for land pooling. He also said that lands without court cases and which do not belong to the Endowments Department and others have been identified, he said. The Collector denied allegations made by former TDP MLA Bandaru Satyanarayana that land was being forcibly acquired.
Clarifying on the land in question, he said under survey number 141/1 in Pinagadi village there was no private land. Besides, they were not violating the Supreme Court guidelines with regard to water bodies during land pooling.
He also added that even Wakf and endowment lands were also not acquired.
Mr Vinay Chand said that as part of 'Navaratnalu – Housing for all', they have identified beneficiaries without any partiality through household surveys and representations through 'Spandana'. He said that there are about 2,50,534 beneficiaries in the district, including 1,77,961 in Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits.
The Collector said that there are about 65,830 beneficiaries in rural areas for whom they have identified about 1,590.11 acres of land in which 1,368 is government land, while 168.53 acres is assigned lands. Only 51.62 acres of patta land was acquired for which ₹21.15 crore was paid.
He also said that they have proposed for 832 layouts in which 451 layouts works are being done under MNREGS, while 381 works will be done by housing department. The Collector also said that till now, about 476 layouts have already been finished.
He said in 59 villages of 10 mandals, 6,116.50 acres was identified for land pooling and it was divided into 58 blocks. Farmers have already given their consent letters for 4,848.88 acres in 40 blocks. He said entire proceedings of grama sabhas held for land pooling was videographed. He reiterated that there was no forceful acquisition. He said 25,195 beneficiaries were found eligible for houses under TIDCO. Remaining 1,52,000 beneficiaries will given house site pattas.
