People displaced being rehabilitated: minister

Hyderabad, Mar 14 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Irrigation Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah today informed the state Assembly that relief and rehabilitation of the displaced persons was being done with consent and without resorting to Compulsory Land Acquisition Act.

Replying to a question by K Subbarayadu and others of the TDP during Question Hour, he said the rehabilitation programme was taken up due to construction of projects as per the norms issued by the government.

He said houses were constructed in Kotha Reddy Gudem village for 65 Girijan families who had lost their houses following the implementation of the Kovvada Project in West Godavari district.

He said while the erstwhile TDP government had sanctioned only Rs 25,000 for the construction of houses for the displaced persons, the present Congress government had increased it to Rs 40,000.

The TDP member claimed that during the TDP regime barren tribal lands were turned into fertile cultivable lands by providing power supply and other facilities.

He said the value of the lands now was very high and demanded payment of a minimum compensation of Rs 7 to 8 lakhs per acre.

The Minister said the new Relief and Rehabilitation (RR) scheme introduced by the state government adopted a very considerate approach and the recepients welcomed it.

He said in the rehabilitation colonies, roads, drainage, power, overhead tanks and tap connections were being provided.

He also assured the members that houses would be constructed near the lands to be provided to the displaced persons.

He said subsistance allowance was also being paid to them to enable them to settle down and earn a living in the new place.

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