Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that over 30 lakh people living Below Poverty Line (BPL) would be given housing site pattas on Independence Day.
“This independence day will be unique as lakhs of poor families will be given freedom as they will become owners of their own house sites. They will be freed from years of oppression and constant insecurity at not being able to own a house. I am happy that these 30 lakh people will own property worth ₹20,000 crore,” Mr. Reddy said.
The Chief Minister said that distribution of the pattas should have taken place on July 8, commemorating that 71st birth anniversary of former CM Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, but a slew of cases filed by Opposition parties in the Supreme Court had delayed the programme.
Further, the Supreme Court has not disposed of the cases due to COVID-19.
“We could have given D-pattas, assigned lands to the poor but that would have forced them to run around in courts trying to get them disposed of. I have asked my officers to ensure that only registered lands should be allotted to the poor” the CM said.
Stating that the government had purchased lands extending 62,000 acres , Mr. Reddy said they had spent ₹7,500 crore.
This was in contrast to the TDP government which had claimed that it would construct 7 lakh houses but ended up building 3 lakh houses only and further had debts of ₹1,300 crore, he said.
