‘Relief package good for all’

The package promises farmers and landowners 800 to 1,000 sq yard plots at another place for the type of land they give up.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who completed six months in office on Monday, announced a package for land pooling for the new capital city near Vijayawada, claiming it would be a win-win formula for both landowners and the government.

The package promises farmers and landowners 800 to 1,000 sq yard plots at another place for the type of land they give up. Besides this, the landowners would get a compensation of Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per annum per acre for 10 years with a 10 per cent annual hike. It also includes relief for tenant farmers and farm labourers, who would lose their livelihood.

“Nowhere in the country such a package has been offered. We have taken great care that farmers and tenant farmers and farm labourers benefit from this, and do not feel that they have lost something. Some political parties have tried to instigate farmers and landowners at some places to protest against the land pooling, but failed as the land owners have realised that they were playing a political game,’’ Naidu said. The Chief Minister also asserted that his government was planning to develop a world-class capital for Andhra Pradesh. “We plan to create good infrastructure… we will go for underground cabling, there will be green belts and plenty of gardens, and metro connectivity,’’ he said.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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