VIJAYAWADA: Lambasting TDP leadership for their “baseless” allegations against the YSRC government on land acquisition for housing scheme, Minister for Agriculture Kurasala Kannababu has said the Jagan government is all set to provide 30 lakh houses for the poor, which are way more than what Chandrababu Naidu did during his entire tenure as CM. “We are not only constructing new houses but also clearing the debts of the previous government, which left housing beneficiaries in a lurch,” he said.
Speaking to the media here on Saturday, the minister said their government inherited a debt burden of Rs 40,000 crore and couple of lakh crores of loan burden. “In spite of the financial crisis, our government is steadfast in its resolve to fulfil each and every promise made to people and implement the election manifesto in letter and spirit,” he said.
The minister said unlike the TDP government, during which the beneficiaries were at the mercy of Janmabhoomi Committees, from identification to the allocation of house sites was being done in a transparent manner now. Knnababu said between 1999 and 2004, only 8,46,664 houses were completed and between 2014-19 though houses were allocated, but left unfinished and the funds left uncleared amounts to a staggering Rs 4,300 crore.
“Understanding the plight of those beneficiaries, our Chief Miniter has decided clear that dues, which only makes that those houses were constructed by our government,” he said. On TDP allegations of acquiring lands at higher prices, he said, “We are procuring them as per the Land Procurement Act and offering good prices, which will not leave farmers with any resentment.
The land near Rajamahendravaram Airport has priced at Rs 21.5 lakh per acre and as per the Act, we procured it for Rs 43.2 lakh per acre,” he maintained. “I do not understand where we have paid more for the land. Do they not want the farmers to benefit after giving away their lands. Moreover, has the TDP forgotten its claims of ‘benefiting farmers’, when they procured land for Pattiseema project at a higher cost?” he wondered.