AP Minister challenges Oppn on land reforms

Hyderabad, July 27 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao today challenged the Opposition in the Legislative Council to show a State which had implemented land reforms like Andhra Pradesh.

Replying to a debate on Government lands and related issues, including recommendations of the Koneru Ranga Rao Committee, he said only the Congress Governments had implemented land reforms in the country and the State. While 1.5 crore acres of land were distributed to the poor after independence in the entire country, in the State alone 49 lakh acres were distributed.

The Minister said the Rajasekhara Reddy Government had decided to distribute lands to the landless poor and had given away 1.67 lakh acres of lands within seven months of assuming power. Within the three years in power, Dr Reddy's Government had distributed 4.37 lakh acres of land, which no Government had ever achieved in the country.

Referring to Koneru Ranga Rao Committee recommendations, Mr Rao said that of the 77 recommendations, 74 have been accepted and the rest were being considered by the Cabinet Sub-Committee.

The Minister said that while the State Government had provided Rs 50,000 crore to provide houses to every poor family in the State, the Communists were ''unnecessarily'' agitating for house sites for the poor. They could join hands with the Government and resolve the problems of the poor, he suggested.

He said it was ridiculous that the TDP, which had not distributed a single acre of land during its previous nine-year rule, was now agitating for land distribution.

UNI