Rs 813 Crore Compensation Must Reach Farmers Immediately: Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy
Land acquisition and rehabilitation payments must be completed on a war footing. CM assures Rs 6,000 crores to complete projects swiftly. Authorities must act fairly and humanely toward farmers parting with their lands – Irrigation Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy
Hyderabad, Trinet News, September 21: State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed district collectors and irrigation department officials to disburse the Rs 813 crore already released for land acquisition and rehabilitation (R&R) to the concerned farmers without any delay.
He made it clear that it is entirely unjustified for funds to remain idle in government accounts while irrigation projects stall due to incomplete land acquisition.
Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy held a video conference from the State Secretariat with district collectors on Monday to review the progress of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement works, and compensation payments for irrigation projects across the state.
The meeting was attended by Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Chief Secretary Santhaj Jaju, Chief Secretary to the CM Manik Raj, Finance Secretary Sandeep Sultania, Land Acquisition Commissioner Shivakumar Naidu, district collectors, and senior irrigation officials.
Officials explained during the meeting that between April 1 and now, tokens worth Rs 3,101 crore related to land acquisition and R&R were submitted, of which the government released Rs 2,504 crore. They stated that out of the Rs 813 crore currently pending district-level payments, Rs 502 crore is with land acquisition officers and another Rs 311 crore is with district collectors.
The minister expressed deep dissatisfaction over this situation. He stressed that once funds are released, they must reach the displaced farmers. He ordered collectors to personally take the initiative, consult with farmers, complete the award process, and expedite compensation payments.
"The money released by the government must reach the farmers who lost their lands. If payment is not possible due to any genuine reason, the clear reason must be communicated and the funds returned to the government. Under no circumstances should they remain idle in accounts for months," the minister asserted.
The minister recalled that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has promised to provide Rs 6,000 crore in 2026 for land acquisition, rehabilitation, and forest clearance requirements of irrigation projects. He stated that this amount is being provided in addition to the irrigation department's regular budget to ensure priority project works are not delayed due to lack of funds.
Act Humanely Toward Farmers
Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy advised officials to act legally and humanely toward farmers losing their lands. He emphasized that tokens should be submitted only after issuing awards and completing all payment arrangements.
"The government does not wish to be unjust when acquiring farmers' lands. Subject to legal rules and prescribed procedures, compensation should be provided as close to market rates as possible," the minister stated.
He ordered that in cases where compensation payments are delayed even after awards are announced, interest must be paid to farmers as per rules. He suggested that all land acquisition cases stalled due to court cases and ownership disputes should be specially registered and resolved swiftly in consultation with the Advocate General.
District-Wise Review of Issues
The minister reviewed district-wise land acquisition hurdles in Nalgonda, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Narayanpet, Siddipet, Vikarabad, Jagtial, and Hanumakonda.
He inquired about the delays in land acquisition for the Chintapalli reservoir, Pendlipaka balancing reservoir, Udayasamudram, and Nellikal projects in Nalgonda district. Particularly, he ordered that land acquisition for the Pendlipaka balancing reservoir must be completed on an urgent basis so that the benefits of the SLBC tunnel reach farmers once completed.
"Even if the SLBC tunnel is completed, if land acquisition required for the balancing reservoir is not finished, the expected benefit on the investment made will not be realized," the minister warned.
He advised collectors not to treat a two-to-three-week delay in the land acquisition process as normal administrative routine. He ordered them to set specific deadlines for each stage and complete the process in the shortest possible time.
The minister stated that main works of many irrigation projects are already complete, but distribution canals, connectivity works, and pending minor land acquisitions are preventing farmers from reaping their benefits. Therefore, he stressed that the land acquisition process must be treated as a top-priority item.
Chief Secretary Santhaj Jaju advised collectors to request funds only after cases are fully ready for disbursement. He directed them to ensure that government-released funds do not remain unutilized in accounts and to use financial resources responsibly.
