VIJAYAWADA: The recent amendment to the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act (APSRA), designating Amaravati as the state capital, has alleviated doubts, leading to increased participation from farmers in villages involved in the second phase of the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS 2.0). Reports indicate that farmers from Pedaparimi village have offered up 1,000 acres of land.
To foster the development of a greenfield airport, a sports complex, and high-tech industries, the state government has revealed plans to acquire an additional 16,666 acres from neighboring villages within the Thulluru, Tadikonda, and Pedakurapadu mandals. Initially, only a small number of farmers were willing to relinquish their land, but enthusiasm waned as skepticism about the capital’s viability grew.
The political instability is a significant concern for farmers, along with apprehension stemming from previous experiences. The slow progress of development in the capital has led to discontent among first-phase farmers, who are still awaiting compensation plots. There is hope that the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) can boost confidence among those participating in the second phase.
Meanwhile, the state government has been issuing land acquisition notifications for farmers who opted out of the initial LPS phase. Specific notifications have been released for acquiring 11 acres in Thulluru, 40 acres in Nidamarru, 6 acres in Lingayapalem, 8 acres in Mandadam, and 5.57 acres in Undavalli. These lands are earmarked for various ongoing projects, with contractors striving to expedite progress.
Despite repeated appeals from the state government encouraging farmers to engage in the LPS, some remain reluctant to part with their land. Consequently, the government has decided to move forward with the acquisition process and has issued the respective notifications.
