Autonomous body for rehabilitation packages

Hyderabad, Jun 12 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh government today decided to enhance compensaton for those displaced by irrigation projects and to form an autonomous body for immediate implementation of rehabilitation package.

Addressing newspersons, about the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to review the progress of the irrigation projects worth Rs 43,910 crore, Major Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah said as many as 7.57 lakh acres of land would be brought under cultivation during this Khariff season, besides stabilising the irrigation facilities for existing ayacut (cultivable land) of 1.10 lakh acres.

The Chief Minister would inaugurate the Vamsadhara project on June 14 to provide water to 29,600 acres. Pushkaram and Thadipudi projects also would be inaugrated next month to provide water to 1.50 lakh acres, he informed.

Opining that the present system of rehabilitation was cumbersome, the government decided to constitute an independent body to overcome procedural delays, he said, adding that whose houses were submerged due to irrigation projects would now be provided Rs 50,000 each.

The Chief Minister approved reappointment of retiring officials involved in land acquisition to avoid delays in the process and would create two Chief Engineer posts in view of the heavy workload.

Attributing the delay in the execution of the Pulichintla project, across river Krishna, to court case and prolonged communication with the Central Water Commission, he said the contractor had been directed to prepare an action plan to complete the project by 2008.

UNI