The State government has admitted in the Assembly on Thursday that the ‘podu’ lands issue is persisting in several districts with tribal population, particularly due to the dispute of ownership between the Revenue and Forest Departments.
Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare Satyavathi Rathod, while replying a question raised by Congress members D. Anasuya (Seethakka) and M. Bhatti Vikramarka during the Question Hour, informed that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had already assured to lead a team of officials and legislators to the podu lands in dispute soon as part of working out a solution.
She stated that a survey being planned by the State government to fix the geographical coordinates to revenue, forest, endowments, private and other lands could also resolve the problem.
Total claims
The Minister explained that of the total claims RoFR pattas for 6,31,850 acres filed since The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 was made, 3,03,970 acres was given with 94,774 pattas.
On the claims made since 2018, the Minister stated that 27,990 claims were made for 98,745 acres and of them 2,401 claims for 4,248 were found eligible and pattas were given and 15,613 claims for 53,565 acres were pending.
The remaining 9,976 claims for 40,932 acres land were rejected by the district-level committees as they were found ineligible.
Giving examples of the Forest officials staking claims on lands under cultivation for the last 3-4 decades, Ms. Anasuya pointed out how the podu farmers were not being allowed to take up removal of sand silt laid in the floods during the last monsoon season in Eturunagaram and allotment of land assigned already for the 5th battalion police headquarters. The Minister said the claims for RoFR pattas was on the rise with the introduction of Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima schemes. She also informed that three Chenchus had succumbed to forest fire in the Nallamala range in Atchampet constituency recently.
Rythu Vedikas
On Rythu Vedikas, Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy said of the 2,601 such platforms planned, only 5 were not taken up due to dispute over site and the remaining were completed with ₹572.22 crore funds adjusted from Agriculture Department and NREGS.
Of the completed 2,556 Rythu Vedikas, 22 were constructed with land and funds donated by philanthropists.
Of them, six were got constructed by Minister K.T. Rama Rao in the memory of his grandparents, one by his wife, two by Minister Gangula Kamalar, two by himself (Mr. Niranjan Reddy). The Chilli Research Centre proposed in Narsampet constituency is being delayed due to dispute over the allotted site, the Minister noted.
