Rs 6,000 Cr special package for Land Acquisition: Uttam

■ CM to provide funds LA, R&R and forest clearances

■ Minister tells Collectors to ensure money reaches land losers

■ Government targets completion of key acquisition and clearance processes within 1–1.5 months

metro india news I hyderabad

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday directed District Collectors and senior irrigation officials to complete land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R), and forest-clearance processes for irrigation projects on a war footing. He assured officials that shortage of funds would not delay any project.

Addressing Collectors, Chief Engineers and senior officials through a video conference, Uttam said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had reviewed the issue on Monday and directed that adequate funds be made available immediately.

The government is prepared to provide about Rs 6,000 cr during the current financial year for land acquisition, R&R and forest-related requirements. Earlier, around Rs 1,056 crore had been released as the first instalment, followed by another Rs 1,500 crore.

Uttam said pending land acquisition, R&R and forest-related processes should be substantially completed within the next one to one-and-a-half months. He asked Collectors and Chief Engineers to raise proposals and tokens without delay, assuring them that the government would mobilise the funds.

He stressed that releasing money to district or government accounts could not be considered an achievement unless it reached affected landowners. Officials were instructed to ensure prompt transfer of compensation to land losers.

The government plans to acquire nearly 40,000 acres over three years for irrigation projects, involving an estimated Rs 6,150 crore. More than Rs 1,000 crore is currently at various stages in land-acquisition offices and district accounts awaiting disbursement.