Capital farmers resent delays in infra works 

Vijayawada: The land owners of Amaravati capital gave their lands for capital construction under the land pooling system. However, a majority of farmers are yet to register their lands in the name of State government. So far, only 11,000 land owners registered 12,000 acres out of the total 33,000 acres belonging to 65,000 land owners. Especially, the land owners of local villages are keen on the development of their share of plots.

The Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) started internal infrastructure works recently. A majority of the area is yet to be covered. The government envisaged that Rs 15,000 crore is required for the internal infrastructure development. It may be recalled 22,000 land owners entered into an agreement with CRDA to give lands under the land pooling system.

As per the agreement, they should register their lands in the name of the State government. The State government should again register the farmers' share of land in their names. The 22,000 land owners gave a list of 65,000 names including family members and legal heirs to the CRDA for registration process. The State government has set up two registrar offices exclusively for this purpose.

The land owners who live away from the region registered their lands with the CRDA. But the local land owners have not done so as the CRDA has not developed internal infrastructure. Moreover, the CRDA did not give clarification on Gramakantams in several villages in the capital region.

The landowners of Amaravati capital villages are keen about the two issues. K Srinivasa Rao, a landowner in Amaravati capital, said that they had given lands for the capital with confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

But the CRDA should have completed internal infrastructure by now. T Venkateswara Rao, a native of Tulluru, said that the farmers might not go back on the agreement. They would register their lands in the name of the government only after completion of the internal infrastructure, he said.