Minister to address ryots’ pleas at CRDA office

Minister for Municipal Administration P. Narayana on Thursday inaugurated a temporary office for the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) housed at a Primary Health Centre building.

Mr. Narayana said that he would be available for people from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at this temporary office and would attend to the grievances on land pooling.

The move by the State government to set up a CRDA office comes in the backdrop of the slow progress of the land pooling exercise.

According to records, farmers owning around 5,500 acres out of the 30,000 acres identified in 29 villages in Thullur and Mangalagiri mandals have already given their consent letters on parting their holdings.

The reluctance of farmers even in these villages, considered a stronghold of the TDP, to part with their lands came as a surprise for the government. Villagers felt that issues like redrawing of village boundaries should be considered before signing the consent letters.

Majority of the Deputy Collectors allotted to the villages are yet to join the duty owing to logistical problems. Out of 30 Deputy Collectors, only 13 have reported for duty so far. The Deputy Collectors were insisting that they should be given residences and vehicles before they join their duties.

The Minister further said that two IAS officers including Guntur Municipal Commissioner K. Kanna Babu would be deputed to oversee land pooling exercise in Thullur.

Minister Narayana will receive grievances related to land pooling from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.