ONGOLE : Conceding to the demand of Ongole MLA and former minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy, the State government on Thursday sanctioned Rs 201 crore to the district for acquiring land to distribute it to beneficiaries of the Jagananna Housing Scheme.
Srinivas Reddy had promised the beneficiaries in Ongole that he will ensure that they all get house sites before the 2024 elections. Subsequently, he had been repeatedly demanding the State government and CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to sanction about Rs 200 crore to procure private land and distribute it to the poor and eligible beneficiaries and to help them construct houses.
He had asserted that he would not contest the polls unless the sites are distributed. With the State government now sanctioning the amount to identify land for the housing scheme, the beneficiaries are hopeful of getting a plot soon.
Earlier, the district authorities identified land at Yarajarla hill side near Ongole and commenced development works with around Rs 45 crore.
However, the works were hit a roadblock due to court cases. Then, the authorities identified 129 acres in Malleswarapuram in Ongole rural mandal limits, 152 acres lands in N Agraharam village limits, 79 acres in Vengamukkapalem village limits and 134 acres in Yarajarla. It has been estimated Rs 200 will be required to acquire the total 493.28 acres from 242 farmers.