VIJAYAWADA: In a major relief to farmers, the State government has decided to return 2,180 acres of ‘award lands’ in the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to their original owners, waiving stamp duty and registration fee.
This fulfils a key election promise by Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) Pawan Kalyan, who personally intervened to resolve a long-pending issue. The decision benefits 1,551 farmers in the coastal mandals of Thondangi and Uppada Kothapalli.
Pawan Kalyan raised the farmers’ plight with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, leading to directives from the Revenue Department’s Principal Secretary to register the lands in farmers’ names without any fee.
The lands, acquired for SEZ development, will now be restored, allowing farmers to access benefits like Rythu Bharosa scheme subsidies, bank loans, and use them for family needs such as weddings and children’s education—issues that plagued them due to lack of proper registration.
During the previous YSRCP regime, despite GO No. 12 being issued, field-level implementation was stalled, leaving farmers unable to register lands or derive any benefits. Farmers had petitioned Pawan Kalyan, highlighting their struggles, and he promised to solve the issue.
The matter gained fresh urgency when Government Whip Pidugu Hariprasad raised it in the Legislative Council, detailing how unregistered lands blocked farmers’ access to government aid and bank loans.
The orders were issued on Tuesday afternoon, marking a swift action by the TDP-led NDA government. Pawan Kalyan expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad for their support in bringing relief to the SEZ farmers.
