AP Govt to distribute 1.66 lakh acres to poor

Hyderabad, Jan 8 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao today said all the arrangements for the distribution of 1.66 lakh acres of land to poor people under the fourth phase of 'land distribution programme' in the state had been completed.

Addressing a press conference in connection with the Regional Collectors Meeting here, he said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy would inaugurate the programme on January 19 in Chittoor and the lands would be distributed from January 20 to 24.

He said the state government had already distributed 4.37 lakh acres under the programme.

The conference would work out the strategy for the land distribution under fifth phase of the programme.

The Centre had passed an Act to provide forest lands to poor people, which were under their cultivation, he said. Nearly four lakh acres of forest land would be available in the state to be distributed to the poor and modalities would be worked out in the conference, he added.

Mr Rao said the draft on the amendments to the 38(E) Telangana Tenancy Act was ready and the Ordinance would be issued soon.

The rights over the lands, possessed by the poor, would be provided to them through the Act.

He said under 9/77 Act, the government would take back lands from the ineligible and distribute it among the eligible poor.

The government had decided to appoint 6,000 Village Revenue Officers to strengthen the Revenue Department, he said adding the Cabinet Sub-committee had recommended eradication of disparities in the 'tehsil' areas in urban areas and the government would take steps to rearrange 'tehsils' in accordance with the population.

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